Hi
@AverageJoe, I'm not "Autistic" as in , "hey, that's me!"; I only -happen- to have traits commonly found in someone with autism.
My question to you high functioning adults ...
Umm...as asked above, what do you mean by high-functioning? As I understand it, the term is largely misused. I think it's technical, medical meaning is, someone with autism and an IQ over 70.
...is what kind of things would you tell your younger self if you could?
Tell me? I probably wouldn't have listened. But I do wish someone could have come alongside me as a teen and helped me to set and work toward goals. When you're in your thirties and thinking you're doing well at work-- and then your supervisor's boss informs you that you have no follow through? Not cool. I still don't know what she meant by that. But I am aware that my idea of follow through does not necessarily match that of other people. I would have also told myself to keep to an academic pursuit as a profession. My idea of follow through creates intricately detailed lines of thought that translates well into the research paper--something I loved writing.
What resources or methods would you recommend to yourself?
A network of people. There is no substitute for having someone who knows you who can come alongside you when you need help--and vice-versa. Establishing this also something that seems quite beyond me.
I see lots of articles and videos on general autism awareness, but finding few resources for someone who might need some guidance in better navigating their condition.
Me too. A lot of broadly generalized material but nothing overly helpful.
Can you recommend any books, lectures, etc., for a young autistic person to look at for guidance? Looking for resources that will assist them and not make them feel inferior or fatalistic.
Check out personal YouTube blogs. I don't know about resources for young people, but I've found more helpful insights from video bloggers than from the more formal therapy sites (which aster a time all seem to recite the same information). Also, check out TedTalks. You might find some resources there.
For background, we have a (turning) 14-year-old son, that I am sure is somewhere on the higher functioning end--
(
Cough-cough: if he can talk, he's 'higher functioning'.)
--of the autism spectrum, but until this point have not pursued an official diagnosis. I am thinking it is probably time (and ultimately helpful for him) if he were to get diagnosed/ informed about autism (you agree?).
It depends. What do you hope to get out of it?
On the positive side, early diagnosis can certainly get him help in areas where he's not as able to compete with his peers. If he has any learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, he may qualify for additional services at school. Or it maybe his school offers a career/life/job coaching program. They'll teach him coping techniques that will help learn to control info-dumping, time management, and prioritizing tasks--if he applies them! Beware of ABA therapy--do your research--but also be aware that high schools do not necessarily use ABA as their basis for meeting special needs.
Also, when he gets to college, should he find something like notetaking to be difficult (due to poor penmanship, which in turn is due to under-developed fine-motor skills), then he would qualify for student services. But he has to have an official diagnosis to qualify for these helps.
On the negative side, there is the fear of stigma. For all the helps that are advertised out there for children with autism, I've run into the hearing about how having an official diagnosis can raise issues with discrimination. Some of this might have to do with the organization called Autism Speaks, which has a pretty bad rap for good reasons. Another negative is work. He wouldn't need to disclose that he had a diagnosis, but it still might be prudent to refrain from telling a potential employer unless he feels confident that doing so would have a positive outcome for him.
You may want to make a list of your reasons for and against, score each entry to prioritize it (1, 2, 3), and add up each column to get a quantitative value of your preferences. If you involve your son in the process, he'll feel like he, too, has a say in his future.
For a variety of reasons, we quit pursuing diagnosis when he was younger, instead spending the time and resources on other activities and experiences we thought would prove more beneficial.
At this point we feel it might be most beneficial for him if he were to have a diagnosis and a better understanding of the condition. Then perhaps be introduced to methods/ tools he might find helpful in navigating adulthood. Thank you all for this community and for sharing.
Not a bad goal! What does your son think about this? That is not to say that I'm recommending he make the decision, only that involving him and genuinely seeking his input will make his agreement to this more of a team effort.
Personally, I would want my child to receive whatever helps are available. A friend has done that for her child and, while as an adult he's chosen to disregard A LOT of what he learned, what he's held onto has helped him to be competent enough to pursue a college education. She still has some concerns, though, with being able to keep a job being at the top of that list.
