The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

This session will present parents of newly diagnosed or younger children with autism spectrum disorders with concepts that parents of adults with autism would like to share with them. The experiences of parents who have already been through some of the early stages of adjusting to having a family member with autism are helpful to parents who are just beginning that process of accommodation and adaptation. This session will focus on sharing the experiences of parents who have adult children with autism with parents of newly diagnosed or younger children with autism.  There is often a great divide between these two groups.  It frequently happens that parents of older children and adults with autism often stop attending meetings or participating in organizations in the autism arena, feeling that they no longer meet their needs.  The parents of younger children are often active participants in these groups, but don’t have the experience of talking to parents of adults with autism.  Programs offered by these groups often are geared to the needs of younger families.  Parents of adults also have often “burned out” in terms of their participation in organizations and advocacy activities so are not available to share their experiences.  Families of younger children with autism often fail to see how the experiences of families of older children or adults are helpful to them.

It is critical for the field of autism research and autism services that these two groups join together and celebrate their commonalities.  The autism community is often split, not only by age of individuals affected by autism, but also by theoretical perspectives.  This presentation will hopefully bridge the gap between families of older and younger children with autism.

The “top ten thoughts” is presented, tongue-in-cheek, in the format of Jay Leno on the Tonight Show.  These thoughts are as follows:

10. Understand your child’s strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and areas of needs

9. People with autism don’t lose jobs because of skill deficits

8. Learning to be an effective advocate is a skill that will last a lifetime

7. The behaviors get better—almost always

6. Find humor in the impossibility of the situation

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

4. Maintain relationships with family and friends

3. Remember that your spouse and other children need your attention and support

2. Find time for yourself and participate in some activity that you enjoy

1. Accept and love your child for whom s/he is

Learning Objectives: