According to a recent study by Taylor and Seltzer, less than 20% of adults living with autism have supported or competitive employment. And the vast majority of those who are competitively employed were engaged in menial and low-paying jobs. A similar study conducted by Shattuck and colleagues showed that after young adults with autism left the public school system, eighty percent continued to stay at home, thirty-two percent attended tertiary education, only six percent had competitive jobs and over 20 percent had no educational or employment experiences at all, while forty percent had no friends. Similar to Taylor and Seltzer’s findings, several tertiary outcomes were worse for people living with autism who did not have ID. For instance, such individuals were thrice more likely not to have any daytime activities such as day services, tertiary education, or employment. The lack of daytime activities and services after exiting high school may put adults living with autism at a higher risk of mental health and behavioral challenges, and lower functional independence.

These two findings show that individuals living with autism need significant and continuous targeted interventions, especially during the adult and adolescent period. Projects that assist families of autistic individuals to get the right daytime activities and local services during their transition to adulthood can be quite helpful. If the service system is not sufficient, encouraging advocacy skills and empowerment among parents is a great way for families to develop and access supports, and community activities during the transition to adulthood. Also, with the current state of the economy, a record number of people being harassed by collections, and the dearth of proper formal services for autistic young adults, it is crucial to provide interventions that boost a family’s ability to get and develop informal activities and support. Therefore, it is essential to have interventions that allow teens and parents to develop new skills and boost empowerment as individuals living with autism become young adults.

It is worth noting that family transactions within any family system are bidirectional. Therefore, in addition to the challenges to a parent’s health resulting from stressful caregiving, increased family distress can create challenges for the person living with autism. Hastings and Lloyd (2007) have argued that the challenges of dealing with caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities may bring about a family context where expressed emotion (negative emotional intensity level) can be expected. A high level of expressed emotion among families could worsen or maintain behavioral challenges. For example, high expressed emotion, namely criticism of the daughter or son by the parent, is linked to high levels of maladaptive behaviors among people living with intellectual disabilities. Other findings on child populations have demonstrated that when a parent criticizes the child, it creates a salient aspect of the emotional environment of the family in anticipating child behavior challenges.

Due to the special nature of individuals living with autism, it is essential that we take the utmost care of their wellbeing. It is essential to detect autism at a younger age to better manage it. Also, continuous and targeted interventions for autistic individuals is indispensable, especially as they transition into adulthood.…

Treatment of Autism

As of 2020, no cure has been developed for autism. However, treatment during the early stages of autism can make a big difference in a child’s development. Therefore, it is important to see your physician at the earliest signs that your child might have autism spectrum disorder.

When it comes to autism, it is essential to note that what works for autism patients varies. Therefore, the ideal treatment for one individual may not be ideal for another. Your child’s autism treatment should be tailored to them. The two main types of autism treatment are discussed below.

Communication and behavioral therapy to help with organization and structure. One of these treatments is Applied Behavior analysis which discourages negative behavior and encourages positive behavior. Occupational therapy can improve life skills such as relating to people, dressing, and eating. Sensory integration therapy may be helpful to a child with sound or sights problems or being touched. Communication skills can be improved through speech therapy.

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder such as anxiety, attention problems, or hyperactivity can be managed through the use of special medication.

If you are considering trying something different such as a special diet to manage your child’s autism, it is essential that you consult a doctor first.

Effects of Autism

For people living with autism, the normative problems associated with adulthood transition are made worse by the several challenges unique to autism. Adulthood often involves relational, residential, occupational, and educational transitions and the development of identity formation and new roles. Such transitions can be quite stressful for people with autism and their families since challenges dealing with change is part of autism’s behavioral phenotype, and autism’s heterogeneity may make it hard for families to have clear future expectations. Families of autism patients also have to deal with challenges resulting from service system changes following exit from high school, which adds to the stress involved in supporting your child’s transition to adulthood.

Past studies have shown that mothers of autistic children experience high anxiety during their children’s adolescence as they begin to anticipate their children’s transition from school and start to get concerned about the future. However, in many instances, the increased level of concern among parents of autistic children is merited. There is a substantial decrease in services available for individuals living with autism as they exist in the school system. In many cases the services prospects are bleak, involving fewer opportunities for independence, as well as long waiting lists. As individuals living with autism transition into adulthood, they face challenges accessing therapy and insurance coverage. There is a high rate of unemployment among adults living with autism.…

Also known as an autism spectrum disorder, autism is a complex medical condition involving problems in behavior and communication. It can involve a broad range of signs and symptoms. Autism can be in the form of a minor challenge or a disability requiring around the clock care in a special institution. Individuals living with autism have challenges communicating. They have a hard time comprehending what others feel and think. This makes it difficult for them to express themselves, either through touch, facial expression, gestures, or words. Individuals living with an autism spectrum disorder might have learning challenges. They might experience unevenly developed skills. For instance, they could be unusually talented in memory, math, music, or art, but have trouble communicating. As a result, they might perform exceptionally well in problem-solving or on tests of analysis. More and more children are being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. However, these recently increased figures of individuals diagnosed with autism could be due to changes in how the condition is diagnosed rather than because more children have autism.

Causes of Autism

It is not clear what exactly causes autism. One of the explanations for the cause of autism is that individuals may develop the condition from problems in parts of the brain that process language and interpret sensory input. Autism is more prevalent among girls than boys with a ratio of 4:1. This means that the condition is four times more prevalent in the former than the latter gender. Autism occurs across social, ethnicity, and racial backgrounds. Family lifestyle, educational level, or lifestyle does not affect the risk a child has of developing autism. However, autism is a hereditary condition and specific gene combinations might increase a child’s risk.

On average, children born to older parents face an increased risk of developing autism. Being exposed to certain chemicals or drugs, such as anti-seizure medications or alcohol during pregnancy increases the probability of giving birth to an autistic child. Other factors that increase the risk of autism include maternal metabolic conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Recent studies have also shown that when left untreated, rubella and phenylketonuria may lead to autism. Although it has been suggested that vaccinations may cause autism, there is no evidence to support the claim.

Screening and Diagnosis of Autism

It can be difficult to find a specific autism diagnosis. Your physician will focus on development and behavior. Diagnosis usually involves two steps for children:

A development screening informs your physician whether your child’s basic skills such as moving, behavior, speaking, and learning are on track. According to experts, these development delays should be screened at nine months, eighteen months, and twenty-four, or thirty months of age during your child’s regular checkups. Usually, children are specifically checked for autism during their eighteen and twenty-four-month check-ups.

If these screenings show that your child may have some problems, a more comprehensive evaluation is carried out. This can include a genetic, vision, or hearing test. Your physician might recommend bringing in an autism spectrum disorder specialist, such as a psychologist or a developmental pediatrician. Some psychologists use the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule for an autism diagnosis.

It is important to see your doctor if you begin to develop autism-like symptoms even if you were not diagnosed with autism during your early childhood.…