I have always had a problem comparing Aspergers syndrome with autism. Call me old school. When Nathaniel was diagnosed with autism he displayed most of the characteristics (10 total at that time) that were associated with autism. Along came Aspergers and the concepts changed. A major developmental challenge became a minor one (by comparison and in my view, of course).
The Autism Support Network just posted a video of an "autistic" 17 your old girl that stretches the condition further and I can't resolve my difficulties with this. ). It is incredible to me that the girl was diagnosed with autism when she was 2, and in 1996. A "normal" child has not developed the social skills yet, let alone a child that might eventually be diagnosed with autism. And now her ability to communicate with people seems miles away from someone with autism. She does speak of some characteristics that we see in autistic children like noise (although I don't think that reacting to sudden noises is a condition as a good example. Nathaniel always had a problem with loud noise). And repetition of actions is more a stress reliever than anything else, according to psychiatrists.
I am happy that the girl has found her place in the world and has been able to cope with her condition. It's just that her symptoms don't fit in to the picture I have regarding the autistic condition. A I said, I myself have a hard time dealing with this.
Read more!
Aug 6, 2011
Aug 5, 2011
When It Comes To Full Time Placement
Wow, another long time between posts. I must do better.
I have a friend that has come to the point where she can no longer care for her child. This is not a particularly old child and would not be considered as an adult. However, my friend is experiencing all the pain and frustration that any parent would when deciding to look for outside help in living arrangements. So she says that she has no idea where to start
My suggestion was to first call the local or state Autism Society. They can be very helpful in locating possible institutions capable of caring for the child on a long term and full time basis. I hesitate to use the work institution because it has a negative connotation. Many states have private non-profit organizations that they use for placement. My son is placed with a very good organization in Maryland and oversees many homes that care for adults, with full time supervision (live-ins) doing the cleaning, cooking, and in the case of my son, personnel care like showering.
I suggested to my friend that she must decide on whether she wants her child to be close enough to visit often or at a distance. This is a hard decision as there may be few local care facilities. Again, we were lucky with Nathaniel as there were two good organizations close by. We did have a choice on two long distance facilities (about 2 hours and 5 hours away}, but we did not want that distance and we were pleased with the care provided locally. She also needs to find out what that care will cost. Maryland provides for everything (thus it's hard to place an adult!), including a personal stipend for miscellaneous expenses like clothing and even airfare to visit us.
Finally, finding out who works for the organization is key to both your adult and for your own piece of mind. Shelley and I interviewed the care provider when we started - that's almost unheard of today and in most organizations. Still, meet with the care providers that are employed. This is your child and you want what is best for him/her.
It is a fact of life that this kind of decision is best made early in the adult's life. There will often be a waiting list and the sooner you are in the system, the better. This decision will not come easy Read more!
I have a friend that has come to the point where she can no longer care for her child. This is not a particularly old child and would not be considered as an adult. However, my friend is experiencing all the pain and frustration that any parent would when deciding to look for outside help in living arrangements. So she says that she has no idea where to start
My suggestion was to first call the local or state Autism Society. They can be very helpful in locating possible institutions capable of caring for the child on a long term and full time basis. I hesitate to use the work institution because it has a negative connotation. Many states have private non-profit organizations that they use for placement. My son is placed with a very good organization in Maryland and oversees many homes that care for adults, with full time supervision (live-ins) doing the cleaning, cooking, and in the case of my son, personnel care like showering.
I suggested to my friend that she must decide on whether she wants her child to be close enough to visit often or at a distance. This is a hard decision as there may be few local care facilities. Again, we were lucky with Nathaniel as there were two good organizations close by. We did have a choice on two long distance facilities (about 2 hours and 5 hours away}, but we did not want that distance and we were pleased with the care provided locally. She also needs to find out what that care will cost. Maryland provides for everything (thus it's hard to place an adult!), including a personal stipend for miscellaneous expenses like clothing and even airfare to visit us.
Finally, finding out who works for the organization is key to both your adult and for your own piece of mind. Shelley and I interviewed the care provider when we started - that's almost unheard of today and in most organizations. Still, meet with the care providers that are employed. This is your child and you want what is best for him/her.
It is a fact of life that this kind of decision is best made early in the adult's life. There will often be a waiting list and the sooner you are in the system, the better. This decision will not come easy Read more!
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