• Replies 4 replies
  • Subscribers 68 subscribers
  • Views 599 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

Newbie

Tish

Hi,

I was a member years ago and then sort of lost track due to a number of other family issues.

My son was diagnosed at the age of four with autism and learning difficulties and social impairment.  He is now 21 and after years of special schools the local authority cutbacks hit.  

He is now in a special section of a mainstream college with only one year to go and that being only 16.5 hours a week.

He still cannot feed himself, wash, shave etc.

As soon as he hit 20, everything stopped.  Yet, as a family, our circumstances continue to remain the same.  Just because he has become an adult, he isn't miraculously cured And no longer in need of help.

I am at my wits end as instead of things getting better, they are getting worse and the outlook is somewhat bleak.  I have two other family members to now care for and I don't know whether I am coming or going.

Sorry for the negative introduction :-(

  • Help is undoubtably needed early on and support.  Children become adults and those with special needs should not go off the radar Just because they have reached adulthood.  It is very frightening hearing of many cases of those who cannot cope and do something drastic.  Frightening because I can relate to it and don't see any other resolve.

  • Wink Thank you so much for your input.  All help does seem to stop which, it turns out, is even more of a struggle than the 'child' years that were in themselves a battle at every turn.

  • Transition, despite the Autism Act, Leading Rewardinhg and Fulfilling Lives, Push for Autism and the launch of Think Autism, just doesn't seem to improve.

    Part of the problem though is that many parents groups and campaigns encouraged the notion that this was a childhood thing and most people grew out of it. There was even opposition to adult diagnosis from parents groups on the grounds it was taking money away from supporting children.

    Often parents groups have no provision for parents whose children are in adulthood, and adults on the spectrum cannot be members.  I was on one for a number of years where I paid professional membership, because there wasn't a membership for person on the spectrum. True I had professional involvement, but even after retiring they still wanted the higher professional fee off me.

    Many health workers and GPs still come out with this notion that you grow out of it, and adults still struggling aren't trying hard enough.

    Unfortunately it is still the case that support infrastructures virtually disappear at 18 or 20.

  • Hello Tish, and welcome.

    I have Asperger's, so am more 'high-functioning' in some ways than your son, but I can completely relate to your concerns. At 26 years old I am still battling myself for decent therapy to help me manage my anxieties, and keep on getting fobbed off. Your story will resonate with many people on here, as it is a recurring theme, and it makes me very angry. Autism is a life-long condition, the issues never go away, but we are so often told that eventually support will come to an end!!. Needs don't matter anymore, it is all down to money.