How hard is it to grow up with Autism?

His future depends on where he is on the spectrum. If he's high-functioning, he'll probably be able to go to regular schools, drive, live independently, have a career, and form connections with others. It may take more time, effort, and support for him to get there, but he will get there. I have Asperger's syndrome, which is basically high-functioning autism. I am a full-time college student, I live away from home, and I have friends. After I finish my degree in psychology I want to go to grad school. There are things I struggle with that I will always struggle with - loud noises, unexpected touches, just not knowing the right thing to say. I've dealt with anxiety since I was 8 and depression since I was 12. But these things don't stop me, and I never wish I were neurotypical. Autism isn't a wall that keeps a normal person trapped inside - it's an important part of who I am, and who your son is.

If your son is on the lower-functioning end, then he may not ever be able to live a fully independent life or be completely mainstreamed at school. He'll require a lot of guidance and support. I don't know if he's verbal now, but about 15% of autistic people remain nonverbal for life. If this happens to your son, then you'll need to work with him to find a different way to communicate, perhaps using pictures. If he does become verbal, which is more likely, that will make it much easier to teach and understand him. And he'll be able to talk to people through the Internet, which is much easier than the outside world.

Regardless of your son's level of functioning, the best thing you can do for him is support him. He has the advantage of being diagnosed young - I wasn't diagnosed until I was 17, and I missed out on various services that could have helped me. The younger an autistic child starts with therapy, social skills training, etc, the better. It's okay to cry about it. I think you're a little bit in shock, and that's understandable. This is a detour from who you thought your son was, and from any future you might have imagined for him. Some parents think of their child's autism as something separate from their child. Don't. Autism isn't like a disease. There isn't a "me" and an "it". Your son is autistic, he always has been autistic. Nothing has changed since the diagnosis except that now you know the name of what's going on, and that's a good thing because now you have something to research. Read up on autism, be patient with your son, keep taking him to therapy, and always remember that without autism, he wouldn't be the same person.

i'm not sure i'd call myself a grown up, i'm only 17, but i have hyperlexia, an autism spectrum disorder. And i'm completely happy with my life, just a little bit about myself, i graduated high school early, and am now studying to get an engineering degree. i have the average social life of a teen, boyfriends, hanging out with friends about several times a week, going to crazy parties etc. sure i can read 14 words per second, am about 2 years younger than all my college friends, and cant use a public restroom, but there are tons of great people out there who dont care if a person is a bit weird. i'm in the process of moving out of my parents house to an apartment (gotta wait the 2 months til i'm 18, but so far its going quite well). so as u can see, being diagnosed with any type of autism doesnt automatically sentence a person to a lifetime of being antisocial and dependent on others. autism is just a doctors name for the unique way in which your son thinks, it doesnt limit him. i dont know how severe your sons autism is, but even those with severe autism have found ways to comunicate and have a thriving social life via the internet. the best thing u can do as a parent is help your son develop the skills he will need in the real world, while still accepting that he will be different. my parents were great, they treated me as a normal child instead of pitying me becasue i was "autistic" so i grew up thinking i was an averagely weird kid instead of constantly worring over my autism. try looking it up online, theres tons of great chat rooms and websites for adult and teen autistics.

I do not suppose of my autism as a incapacity that demands to be triumph over. What style of lifestyles am I - or any one else at the spectrum - meant to reside if I consider who I am is unacceptable? Not having any form of remedy is a well factor. A individual who sits round ready and hoping for a miracle remedy is not going to expand any form of self-reputation. With social abilities coaching and occupational cure, a few top-functioning contributors can get to the factor wherein they are now not impaired sufficient to qualify as autistic. In that feel, persons can "triumph over" autism. Their mind, nonetheless, could nonetheless be stressed in a different way. Once autistic, constantly autistic. I do not see why that should be a nasty factor.

uhh im sorry im 18 and not a parent, but my brother and i have autism so i know quite a bit on the subject. And by the looks of it it sounds like a high form of autism for your child? I know that its going to be hard for him to interact with other kids socially. And there is going to be a few tears along the road, but as long as you support and love him he should be ok.

If he has a form of autism thats relatively low, like mine, its going to be hard, but not as hard if the autism is evident.

No its true that a person with autism has and can be as successful as a doctor, or lawyer etc..

I really hope i helped =(

Firstly, I strongly recommend optimising your child's vitamin D3 levels, as explained below. See: * http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive... & http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive... Go to a doctor and ask for a 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D, blood test. When you get the results, don’t follow the typical “normal” reference range, as these are too low. The OPTIMAL value that you’re looking for is (for ADULTS; for children, see *) 45-52 ng/ml (115-128 nmol/l)". The company which tests your levels has to be one of those using the correct form of test, and this topic is addressed via the searchbar at Mercola.com - "vitamin D3; testing" A Gluten Free/Casein Free diet, low in oxalates may also help. http://www.plantpoisonsandrottenstuff.info/content... refers.

View:

http://lowoxalate.info/ LOW OXALATE FOR GFCF DIET - AUTISM & http://www.dietitian.com/autism.html & http://www.autism-pdd.net/

The incidence of autism has increased several hundred percent since WW2, and Dr. Mercola, at www.mercola.com and many others associate it with thimerosal, and vaccines, but note carefully the 2 articles below by Dr. Cannell about vitamin D3, and ensure optimal levels are maintained. I suggest that you enter "autism" in their searchbar, and view some of the many articles. Parents of autistic children would be well advised to go to www.autism-pdd.net and join; watch videos from places like http://www.momsfightingautism.com/ and take part in their regular Webinars, where they have experts advising parents on their particular problems.

If non verbal: Make photos, or pictures of the things s/he regularly uses, may want, or goes to, such as his/her toys, cup, and ones of someone rubbing their stomach, to indicate hunger, and the toilet, school/special education classes, doctor's, (they may need some reminders, well beforehand, then increasingly closer to the event, to get themselves mentally prepared for these) etc. Put the pictures back to back, and laminate them, then put them on a suitable cord/chain around his, or her neck, so s/he can communicate his, or her needs and wants by showing you the relevant picture. Make similar ones so you can communicate what you want, as well, such as getting in the car, and bathing. See http://specialedandme.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/... and Google: "Picture Exchange Communication System".