• Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 68 subscribers
  • Views 808 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Hi everyone Im a mom of a 16 year old ASD son

tmt

Hi all Im a mom of a ASD 16 year old son.

Im looking for help and advice in teaching  my son to live an independant adult life, he has recently started college in Walsall West Midlands. Would really appreciate help and advice from anyone good enough to reply to any of my questions.

Looking forward to hearing from you all. 

  • He might find Marc Fleisher's books useful, eg. "Making Sense of the Unfeasible - My life journey with Asperger Syndrome" (Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2003). As an autobiography it does have useful insight into college/university life and trying to be independent. Personally I found it difficult to relate to some of his experiences, but that's the diversity of autistic spectrum lifestyles.

    He published another book "Survival Stategies for People on the Autistic Spectrum" Jessica Kingsley 1967, which being very personal to him, the precriptive layout may not be easy to relate to, but it is an attempt to outline the sorts of things that crop up.

    Also Birmingham does seem to have a small number of young adult support groups, leastways at the early stages of the Autism Act there were conferences where these groups were represented - don't know how well they've survived the recession. But they seemed to cater for young people on the spectrum going through college and first jobs.

    I wish I could say colleges are all switched in to being supportive, but it is worth looking closely at the college's website to see what they claim they can do, then go in and test it.

  • He will need teaching about how to handle money and stay on top of finances (not to go overdrawn and allow enough to pay rent and bills etc.); to know how to separate colours from whites into the washing machine and pay attention to care labels on clothes regarding temperatures; how to do a weekly food shop.  Also, perhaps he could join social groups, have alcohol/drugs awareness so as not to get drunk and get taken advantage of.  Relationship awareness is more tricky, the main things are to find someone he has something in common with and for him to know appropriate boundaries, someone that won't abuse his niavety and not someone needy or clingy that will expect a really emotional and communicative partner, so someone independent that appreciates his quirks and nature (maybe even another person on the spectrum).  Also, presume he is OK with public transport?  He needs reasonable awareness of the law so he doesn't get himself in trouble.

  • Where on the spectrum is he?

    What specific concerns do you have?