Too Much Talk About Children What About Adults with Autism?

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Something I have noticed, and I am sure there have been threads on here that has mentioned this.

I have noticed that there has been a lot of talk about ‘Children with Autism’ but what about the Adults. What is society doing with the Adults? Same with ADHD they always talk about ‘Children with ADHD’ but what about the Adults?

Whether you have Autism whatever side of the spectrum you are on or whether you have ADHD it doesn’t go away when you become an adult you have it the whole of your life.

What brought this on I saw an article recently during Autism Awareness Month regarding churches and church groups with the title: How Can We Make Children’s Group Better for Children with Autism? When I read of the ideas my initial thought but What About the Adults who come to Church?

I also saw in an article that a shopping mall in the UK decided to open it’s doors earlier on a Saturday Morning specifically for children with Autism where they have dimmed the lighting down a bit and made the place quieter and less intimidating. Again what about the Adults? Although that shopping mall seems like a good idea not everyone wants to go shopping early on a Saturday Morning.

To me, I think they need to do more resources for Adults with Autism and there needs to be more awareness of Adults with Autism.

Definitely. As for why they only talk about children... I don't know, the reasons are probably different in different cases. Maybe they think they'll get more sympathy and attention when they talk about children instead of people, maybe they think that us adults have already learned to cope with the classic autism problems or perhaps there are still people who think autism will go away with age? Or perhaps the adults today are seen as lost causes if we can't handle normal life on our own and they want to use the resouces they have to make sure that the next generation of autistic people won't be lost... you know, minimize the losses. Instead of helping everyone a little bit, they push aside the adults and focus on the children who haven't been as traumatized or suffered as much yet than adults have and try to protect them with all they can, even if it means ignoring the adutls who need help.

Agreed

Church for an autistic person is uncomfortable for so many reasons. Most of them social.

I do attend though. Our parish does not use any bright lighting. Music is not loud. It's a total sensory treat for me. I'm good as long as I don't socialize. Nobody wants the oddball even in the place where everyone should be welcome.

Very true.
It's a natural instinct to protect children, but too often they forget children grow up.

I was sent an article about high functioning autistic adults in church, so I know it exists at least.

My church has a large population of disabled people, several in wheelchairs, at least one with down syndrome, several autistic persons besides myself, another service dog handler, at least one member with cerebral palsy, a few people on ventilators, has a special needs ministry, and has people going out to home bound members.

Yet I still feel lost, especially do to my smell sensitivity. Because of perfume I have to reseat myself many times, and have had to leave service early before. It distracts from the message.

It is conceded that there is an extreme lack of services for adults with autism—even in well-served places like New York City.

Many times, adults with autism are “on their own.” They are not seen as being “cute kids” any longer.

HistoryGal,

I found it quite the opposite for me. I was accepted immediately by the people at my church. It was the first place I was really accepted.

I do go to a Pentecostal Church. I am one of the Leaders there and I get a lot of say on the running of the Church.

We are not loud at all firstly because we have to consider neighbours because there are houses detached to the building, also I fully understand there are people who don’t like loud noise. Also we don’t do flashing lighting either which is good because I have sensory issue with flashing lights.

There are a lot of things I would like to see especially in the UK when it comes to adults with Autism.

I am active in church.
Some music video backgrounds are too much for my brain. Also the noise level except for the few years I was in the praise & worship team. C

Isotomin wow really? That's great but not the norm for many of us. I lived out in Lompoc before. Three different churches.

I have never had issues with smells at church except the I sense when I went to a Catholic Church.

At certain stores the smells over power me that I have too leave.

It’s pretty unfair. Adults were here first. What happened to first come first served? At the YMCA I go to they have all kinds of programs for children & teens, but they only let me do Special Olympics.

Me too. I do Special Olympics. I can also do Easter Seals but all of their programs are very expensive so I can't afford any of them.

My town also has a monthly Autism meet up for adults where we do fun things so that is great but that is about all we have. My social worker even looked into MHID's Autism side. They no longer have MHID people to help Autistic adults, just children. Even the social worker I have now is though Service Access Management. I could not even get him on my Autism diagnosis. I was not allowed to use Autism as my primary diagnosis. My psychologist had to give me a diagnosis which I don't actually have in order for me to get the service. The only way that I would have been allowed to use my Autism diagnosis to qualify for the service is if I had been diagnosed as a child. The fact that I was diagnosed as an adult prevents me from being able to get this service. I also qualified for the office of vocational rehabilitation and monthly group social events and outings with The ARC. But because I don't have an MHID case number, I have to pay for all of the activities for The ARC where the other people do not have to pay. So I can't participate because I can't afford to pay. But other than those things there are no services at all for adults. The only other thing we have is the Autism waiver that pays for some things that I might need like soundproof windows for my house. But they only have funding available for 668 waivers in the e entire state of Pennsylvania so there is a four year waiting list just for an application to see if you are eligible for it. There are dozens and dozens of services for Autistic children but the ones for adults can be counted on one hand and it can be extremely difficult to get them and sometimes the waiting lists are years long.

I’m competing in regular corporate challenge through my company.

I go to classes at our cities gym.
They include spin/cycle,yoga and lap pool.

The music they play during cycling would drive my brain bonkers if I weren’t in that class. Even so sometimes it is played to loud.

It means you get told you can't be autistic because
1. They would have picked it up when you were a child
2. You are making it up to get benefits, seek attention, or excuse bad behavior.
3. You have learned enough skills to get a job, have a relationship etc