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Do all the autism "support" interventions for kids actually work?

DaisyGirl

This topic relates to people with high functioning autism/Aspergers with no learning disability.

I am an adult female with Aspergers. I was diagnosed as an adult so I did not have any of the social skills and anxiety reduction interventions that Aspie kids get now. I   devised my own strategies for talking to people etc. by observing and then applying what I learned through observation to everyday situations. 

But, because these are learned behaviours that are not natural they are extremely tiring to maintain for a long time.

What I am wondering is whether all this "stuff" which Aspie kids get now is of any use to them once they are adults. Aspergers can't be cured, and I am seriously wondering if there is any point in giving kids loads of therapies, which might seem as if they are working in the short term but which are no use in the long term (ie when the kids get into the adult world) because the strategies they teach are unnatural to people with Aspergers and cannot be manitained without mental (and physical) exhaustion.

Has anyone out there had all this SUPPORT as a kid and is now able to function in the adult (post University) world without having crippling anxiety/loneliness/depression/OCD/eating disorders etc. ?

Just wondering.

Parents

  • Hi, I was diagnosed with Aspergers when I was 17 (got referred to CAHMs for it aged 16 though). I had about four or five months of 'support' before I was cut from the programme as I'd hit 18.

    All the sessions did was reassure me that my way of thinking was 'acceptable' to someone with my condition, but didn't do much asides from suggest a bunch of things that may help (i.e. a hammock, playing music at night to drown out sounds, secure routines etc) and a diagnosis to give to Uni.

    Unfortunately, it still means I struggle with servere anxiety and OCD at verying times, more often than not, once a day at least. All the other skills (learning to face read, mimicking 'normal' behaviour) were learned through enduring the hell that is UK education. Uni's been a lot more enjoyable so far, but only because I'm allowed to manage my own  time more.

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  • Hi, I was diagnosed with Aspergers when I was 17 (got referred to CAHMs for it aged 16 though). I had about four or five months of 'support' before I was cut from the programme as I'd hit 18.

    All the sessions did was reassure me that my way of thinking was 'acceptable' to someone with my condition, but didn't do much asides from suggest a bunch of things that may help (i.e. a hammock, playing music at night to drown out sounds, secure routines etc) and a diagnosis to give to Uni.

    Unfortunately, it still means I struggle with servere anxiety and OCD at verying times, more often than not, once a day at least. All the other skills (learning to face read, mimicking 'normal' behaviour) were learned through enduring the hell that is UK education. Uni's been a lot more enjoyable so far, but only because I'm allowed to manage my own  time more.

Children
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