Do you think a person with asperger's should work with ppl

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I am a little worried with my career choice. I'm an aspie and I am a senior in college. I am doing an internship at a school for children with autism and I love it. But I am starting to get worried because I am suppose to be helping these kids correct certain behaviors and I know where they are coming from so its hard. I small example is one of the kids likes to doodle while he listens, but that is not allowed. So I have to redirect him to take better notes. I hate doing it because I am certain he is taking it all in...

I am working to be a TSS worker and I am not sure if I can do it. The long school hours are murder on me and at the end of the day at my internship I usually am stimming worse than the kids. I want to work with this population but I am not sure if it will really work out for me. But I feel that coming in with the perspective I have may really be beneficial for children with autism.

I wouldn't mind working with any children, disabled or not, because they don't judge me like older children and grown-ups could. Most children love me, and I feel I can be more dominent with them (I never get to be dominent otherwise). I just can't work with little children because I have Emetophobia (fear of being sick), and I know children pick up tummy bugs a lot and once one child suddenly comes down with it, it can be passed around quickly, and can even be spread to anyone if one of them has picked up a Norovirus. I often remember children being sick at school then having to be sent home, then later on another couple of children were sick.

I think if I were you I would stick with working with the Autistic children instead of putting yourself in a job where you have to interact with customers all day, ie a shop busy shopping centre. You're on show to everybody there, and being firm and dominent with customers is a nightmare for me, because they can tell I'm not firm and they take advantage of that.

I applaud you for your efforts! Who better to work with Autistic kids than a fellow Autistic? Your example of the kid who doodles is perfect: maybe he is taking it all in and the doodles actually help him process the information. This may be something you can point out to others and then get the rules changed to help accommodate the specific needs of different students. (I like to doodle and remember lectures & lessons very well)

It sounds like you are doing the right thing. Don't doubt yourself. Good luck!

TSS worker ?

I want to work with autistics too, as a neuropsychologist, and I think an Aspie can be better than a NT for this... you know how an autistic child can work, all you need is to learn how to manage a few things.

You're asking a blanket question, which seems as if you're looking for a blanket answer. It's just not that simple.

It would be wrong to day either "Yes, Aspies should work with people," or "No, Aspies should not work with people."

You have to consider the individual. Every one of us has unique skills and lack of skills.

Some are better off working alone, while other do quite well working in the public sector. It's a SPECTRUM. Remember?

You have to decide for yourself, possibly with some help but the ultimate decision is still yours, what you can handle, how much, and in what contexts.

"Know yourself."

Try things. Find out what works for you and what doesn't. Then, decide what's best for you.

A medical examiner or mortician works with people. Plus they don't talk back.

If you can handle it all. Me, like my friend with Aspergers, goes through weird periods of extroversion and introversion almost at random, so it's tough. The oddest thing for me was, I used to work selling windows, usually at fairs and things like that. My friend, is an introverted NT, he'd get worn out dealing with all the people at fairs and stuff. Me, I wouldn't. I wouldn't care about the people there at all, I thought it was all great fun. However, what completely failed me was, telemarketting. No "real" people to speak of, but I just couldn't annoy people like I was supposed to. I managed to do reasonably well, if coming off a bit awkward or whatever during the fairs, and it was neat to me. I liked the fairs, as I got to be sorta...with people, but from afar? My friend, for example, at certain fairs where we'd get no sales, he'd just give up and sit down, and me I would stand and wave at everyone to try to get them in the booth, act a little stupid, etc, it didn't matter to me, but when interacting on the phone with people, yeah, couldn't make it work.

So I guess the easy answer would be..."It depends."

It depends on the aspie. Even NTs have limitations too when it comes to work. My mom had a new job and she didn't like it so she quit. She found it too stressful and couldn't handle it. Luckily she got her old job back.


Maybe you can try and teach others about autism and to help them understand it better like if they doodle while listening, they are still listening. Even NT kids doodle as they listen. I have noticed that things normal kids do special ed kids are not allowed to do which is so unfair. Like if a normal child says they have to go potty, no one makes a fuss about it but if a special needs child does it, grown ups make a fuss about it and make them say "bathroom."

Well, I don't know about you, but I love being around children, and at this point of time I've decided when I leave school, I want to be a drama therapist for autistic children. I discovered this when I did some research on teaching drama, and came across an article about drama therapy for autistic children. The article said drama therapy helps teahc autistic children social skills. Then I thought being a drama therapist would be perfect for me. I'm good at drama, I love it, I love being with children. I'd be able to understand autistic children better than an NT. I'd be doing what I love and helping kids who are like me, in a way, get by in life, socially.

But if you want to do something with children, go right ahead! It's your choice.

I have been teaching here in Japan for 5 1/2 years. I DO get tired and bored of these people, but I've also learned how to carry on small talk and conversations naturally. I think my quirks definitely still come out though, but no one has said I have offended them or anything.

Basically I like this job because I feel like I'm actually DOING something instead of simply sitting behind a desk and crunching numbers or whatever. I like to help people and entertain them. I use every Sunday to recuperate. I just sit in my room by myself and watch movies with all of the lights off

As for me, i graduated with a Bachelor's in Sociology-Social Services and an Associate in Social Work.. I currently work as a substitute teacher and substitute paraprofessional..not exactly what i went to school for, but i like it, because i like working w/kids. I have found that when it comes to personal interaction, i excel in some areas. By the way..i have PDD-NOS..which is on the spectrum, although Ive been told by some that they couldn't tell i wasn't NT. I'm not totally tuned into social niceties however; plenty of awkward social situations can attest to that. I agree with others who posted that it depends on where you strengths lie. having an autism or aspergers or other ASD related diagnosis doesn't mean that you would necessarily have trouble with a job that requires social interaction. Social skills can be learned. My goal is to be hired as a special ed parapro, preferablhy working with children on the spectrum..long term goal is to be an occupational therapist or occupational therapist assitant. We will see if that happens.

Peace out

Zenmaster

I've met some people with AS I'd never in a million years want as my staff, and yes, due to their AS... but I've been typical people I can't stand either!

I have absolutely no desire to work with children or people. Call me a freak, but I'd rather work alone from the comfort of my own home than in a noisy office!

I see no problem with someone with AS working with people, as long as they are competent in their job.
"Working with people" can have so many different meanings anyway.

As for the original post, I think that it would not only be beneficial to the children to have you work with them, but to the other adults as well. You will be able to tell them things from an insiders perspective that the children might not yet be able to.

As has been said earlier, it depends on the person---so there is no absolute yes or no answer here. As for me at this time in my life due to the change in my job where I have to work with others closely now---I am getting stressed, anxiety ridden, and worn out. I am feeling quite "blah" as of late. I no longer am able to create my own lesson plans in school because I work in other teachers' classrooms. Many times these teachers leave their room and ask me to do this or that while they are gone. There is no truly set routine anymore for me---and I am feeling stressed. I wish I worked in a situation where there were no other people around me---just me and a computer or some other contraption. In the past I worked with gifted students and was able to construct my own plans for them---it was fun. But now the fun is gone.

During the past 23 years I had my own classroom and worked with high school students. I had a lot of fun. So I saw no problem working with students. My problem now is routine and trying to figure out what these other teachers expect from me. I can't find a middle ground with them. I work with the students that need help now and get criticized from a teacher for trying to do too much. But then another staff worker thinks I should do more. I don't know what to do anymore. But yes, the kids are fine to work with. Sorry, I'm rambling.

If you enjoy working with the people you have been working with, you will probably be fine working with them in the future. I just require routine. Routine is important for me. And my routine is gone now.

I would hate to have a job like that.......what is so bad about doodling a little bit, that actually helps some kids pay attention....and if that child is anything like I was as a kid he takes the information in, understands it and then gets bored and of course is not going to remain completely focused on the lecture. I bet if it was an NT kid doodling no one would say anything.

Don't know if your up for it but maybe there are other ways you could help like maybe trying to increase understanding of how it feels from the AS/Autism side........some of us don't like our behavior constantly criticized, I mean when I was a kid it really did make me upset that if I did anything even a little weird people would freak out about it like i was doing something totally wrong. So I don't know the sort of job you have does not seem like something that would help people so I can see why your frustrated with it.