Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAdjusting to AdulthoodObstaclesStrengths of Autistic AdultsSupportExamples of Success
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Adjusting to Adulthood
Obstacles
Strengths of Autistic Adults
Support
Examples of Success
Most information focuses on young children when it comes toautism, making it easy to overlook autistic young adults. As kids age into adulthood, though, they may need more help rather than less in navigating the complex, chaotic, and demanding world.
While it’s true thatautism traitsappear first in early childhood, autism doesn’t only affect children. Those diagnosed with the condition grow into adults who face lifelong challenges.
Potential issues that adults with autism face, include difficulty forming relationships, managing aspects of daily living, and finding employment, housing, and reliable transportation.
This article discusses the potential obstacles that autistic adults may face, the strengths they may demonstrate, and the support services available.
Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Transition to Adulthood
Autism reflects a permanentdiagnosisrather than one that is outgrown with age. An autistic child won’t justoutgrow autismto become aneurotypicaladult.
Autistic children may build skills and workarounds that make autism traits less obvious, and autistic teens may learn social skills that keep their autism unnoticed in some situations.
When an autistic person suppresses their autism traits, it is called masking and often has unintended damaging consequences. Learning social competence to get through the day can help, but it can also be emotionally draining and contribute to internalized stigma and shame.
More adults are being evaluated for autism due to changes in awareness, diagnostic criteria, and professional practices.It is estimated that over 5.4 million adults in the United States have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)—more than 2% of the population.
During an adult autism screening, a healthcare professional will typically observe a person’s responses to different prompts, evaluating what they say and how they behave.
Sometimes, a healthcare professional may have the adult complete a questionnaire with questions about social interaction, interests, and behaviors.
A well-done assessment includes a detailed history of early childhood and development, a clinical interview, and collateral information from others (usually family members).
Obstacles for Autistic Adults
Why is relatively little written aboutautism and adulthood? While there’s no absolute answer, here are some educated guesses:
Autistic adults can face intense challenges in everyday life. However, autism withhigh support needs(level 3 autism) is not always the biggest obstacle to employment or even personal happiness. These external factors play a significant role.
10 Things to Know About Autism and Employment
Daily Living
Adults are expected to independently manage time and money, run a home, find and hold a job, manage social interactions at work and in the community, find friends and romance, save for a rainy day, cook meals, and raise kids.
In addition, there’s the constant onslaught of sound, information, interaction, unexpected changes, and visual stimulation that’s part of everyday life. It may mean that living independently while managing all the demands of daily life is simply too challenging for many autistic adults.
Autism traits include issues with speech and nonverbal communication, sensory issues, and social interaction. It also entails unusual sensitivity to sound, light, smells, tastes, and touch.Executive functioningdeficits are a related trait.
Many autistic people have difficulty with executive functioning—the ability to process information—which in turn impacts practical daily life skills that rely on self-organization and planning. They include self-care, shopping, cooking, and maintaining a calendar.Life skills training can support adults with autism. This includes training people in an environment where they’ll use those skills, such as teaching cooking in their kitchen, doing laundry at a laundromat, and adding appointments to a visual calendar or on a smartphone.
Many autistic people have difficulty with executive functioning—the ability to process information—which in turn impacts practical daily life skills that rely on self-organization and planning. They include self-care, shopping, cooking, and maintaining a calendar.
Life skills training can support adults with autism. This includes training people in an environment where they’ll use those skills, such as teaching cooking in their kitchen, doing laundry at a laundromat, and adding appointments to a visual calendar or on a smartphone.
On the flip side, between 25% and 30% of autistic people are estimated to benonverbalor minimally verbal beginning in childhood, meaning they are limited or unable to use spoken language skills.
According to research, some autistic people tend to be more aggressive toward others, especially their caregivers.Nonverbal and aggressive autistic adults will have difficulty successfully managing typical living situations, relationships, or jobs.
Transportation
Transportation and housing can also be challenging for autistic adults. Difficulty obtaining a driver’s license, as well as limited transportation options, lack of familiarity with public transportation modes, and cost, have significant implications for achieving greater independence and employment success.
Housing
Culturally, it’s assumed that a grown child will leave their parents’ or guardians’ homes to live in their own apartment or house.
Of course, as the economy and other factors have changed, many more neurotypical young adults are moving in with those who raised them. Not surprisingly, a very large number of autistic adults also live with their parents or guardians.
Reasons for this include:
It is estimated that only 21% of people with disabilities,including autism, are employed.Autistic people can benefit from state-provided vocational rehabilitation services to help them explore possible careers, find a job, and secure workplace accommodations.
Some autistic adults are highly successful people.
In general, autistic people arehonest and dependableemployees, focused on their work. Autistic people can be very passionate about their interests which can translate to great success and satisfaction in those areas.
While it can be tough for autistic adults to set up and manage their own space and schedules, many are outstanding bosses and employees.
Some corporations have started to recognize the value of actively recruiting and hiring autistic individuals. These include Freddie Mac, Microsoft, Walgreens, and SAP.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, Title I) states that employers must make reasonable accommodations for employees with a disability like autism. These accommodations do not require lowering performance standards.
Some workplace accommodations for autistic people may include:
10 Autism-Friendly Employers
Support for Autistic Adults
The relative lack of information for and about autistic adults means that many parents or guardians suddenly find themselves scrambling when their child—now a young adult—reaches the magical age of 22.
That’s because, on their 22nd birthday, autistic people suddenly lose their entitlement to services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and enter the more uncertain world of adult services.
While the IDEA requires schools to offer “free and appropriate education” to all children, there is no such requirement for adults. As a result, funding and programming for adults may or may not be available at any given time or location.
And because the support needs of autistic adults can vary significantly, it can be difficult to define and provide services for them.
Health insurers in all 50 states are required to cover autism treatment. This includes Medicaid. Of course, the treatments and services covered may vary from state to state and according to the individual’s needs.
Additional sources for funding, employment, and other support may include:
Autistic adults are often legally entitled to nothing but are likely to receive at least some level of support. Certain states have easy access to services and funding for autistic adults, while in other states, there is limited support.
Some states that offer the least generous programs and services include:
Among the more generous states are:
Of course, the definition of “services and funding” varies depending upon need. For example, Medicaid doesn’t provide vocational training or support—services that would be particularly useful to autistic adults with low support needs.
Medicaid may or may not be a source of funding for housing, day programs, and other services.
Unraveling the Complex Causes of Autism, According to Experts
Some autistic adults have become role models for their younger counterparts who hope to live full, independent lives. Just a few such role models include:
These individuals, in addition to others, are active autism advocates. Many speak publicly about their experiences and offer resources and insights to autistic adults and their family members.
Summary
It’s common for information about autism to center around children, but the majority of the time, one lives with autism in adulthood.
While many autistic adults live comfortable and productive lives, they can still have difficulty in situations that are not a good fit, including those requiring complex social interaction, where there is exposure to certain sounds, lights, and smells, or where there is frequent change, among other factors.
However, there is still limited support for autistic adults in instances such as living independently and receiving free and appropriate education after the age of 22.
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