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Life Expectancy

Stevo

I recently read on the internet a survey in Sweden about life expectancy of children with autism, and was quite shocked.

Does anybody know if life expectancy is lower with a child with autism, my son aged 7 was diagonised last year,he is great kid and has lots of friends unlike some on the spectrum so i am lead to believe.

My major worry is school,as he is bit behind other classmates, and then off course getting a job.

Anyway if anyone has any figures re life expectancy question would put my mind at rest.

Many Thanks

Parents

  • Hi,

    There are so many surveys, news, opinions on the internet and tv with a number of those to shock or build on people's anxieties. 

    I don't know your son, and this isn't a simple question to address. My feelings are in-line with comments clovis highlighted.

    Personally from my own experience, I am nearly 50 with aspergers. I am shocked at the support available to autistic adults. I am so angry that when I reached out for help in my early adult life, it was not there. Without going in to too much detail, this lead to 2 suicide attempts. One of the things I refelect on with my own diagnosis, is how many managed to succeed ending their life without the support they needed.

    Again, on the Job situation is not an easy answer. I feel society is becoming more acceptable to the condition. For myself, my aspergers actually helped me to get in to the field I work in now. I can see colleagues I work with have asperger traits. I was behind at school at your son's age. I don't know what happened, but from around age 10 to 13, I had a real acceleration in my learning, and was one of the leading pupils. That also with being born in August, which meant the majority of my class were older than myself. (This is how if affected me personally, may well be different for your son)

    If there is someway we can improve the support for autistic adults, I am sure that would improve life expectancy.

    I hope for your son, when he reaches that age, things are better than they are now.

    Random

Reply

  • Hi,

    There are so many surveys, news, opinions on the internet and tv with a number of those to shock or build on people's anxieties. 

    I don't know your son, and this isn't a simple question to address. My feelings are in-line with comments clovis highlighted.

    Personally from my own experience, I am nearly 50 with aspergers. I am shocked at the support available to autistic adults. I am so angry that when I reached out for help in my early adult life, it was not there. Without going in to too much detail, this lead to 2 suicide attempts. One of the things I refelect on with my own diagnosis, is how many managed to succeed ending their life without the support they needed.

    Again, on the Job situation is not an easy answer. I feel society is becoming more acceptable to the condition. For myself, my aspergers actually helped me to get in to the field I work in now. I can see colleagues I work with have asperger traits. I was behind at school at your son's age. I don't know what happened, but from around age 10 to 13, I had a real acceleration in my learning, and was one of the leading pupils. That also with being born in August, which meant the majority of my class were older than myself. (This is how if affected me personally, may well be different for your son)

    If there is someway we can improve the support for autistic adults, I am sure that would improve life expectancy.

    I hope for your son, when he reaches that age, things are better than they are now.

    Random

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