Help for Adults with Aspergers


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"Dear Dave Angel, I just want to sincerely thank you for all your efforts and dedication with this website and articles which have all been so incredibly helpful to me...It's like a virtual support group

My little boy was just diagnosed with ASD at 3.25 years old, and I was devastated. But your informative articles have been incredibly insightful and I don't feel alone because of you!

Keep up the great work!!! We need you!"

Joan Brand
Long Island, NY, USA

"Hello Dave, I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you from the sunny Gold Coast in Queensland for all the information you send me. I am so grateful and am constantly referring people on to your site. The new system will be a great help.

I am mum to 3 children ages 17, 14 and 7.5. It is my 17 year old daughter Elizabeth who has Aspergers. I really appreciate all the tips and encouragement that I receive and I just wanted to say thank you. You do a wonderful job and it is such a blessing for me."

Heather Clark
Queensland, Australia

"Dear Dave, Thank you for your work in creating your wonderful newsletters. They are so informative and helpful. I look forward to receiving them and they have been a great help in matters relating to my 13 year old who has Aspergers."

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Bromley, Kent, UK

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Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Australia

"Dave, Just wanted to THANK YOU for all your help and wisdom with ASD and for sharing that with us! I've learned so very much about my grandson's world, since meeting you and being on your mailing list. What a true blessing!"

Lynn Wiley

Hinseville, Georgia, USA

home | Adult with Aspergers

Help for Adults with Aspergers

As I am sure you know this website is exclusively for parents of children with Aspergers. However I know for a fact that many of the parents who contact me for help have children in their late teens and twenties. And also that all parents worry and speculate how their child will be when they grow up ...

So I have added this department to outline some of the issues, problems and solutions for adults with Aspergers. Many are very similar to those for children but obviously certain things do change for your child when they enter adulthood. So it's on these differences that this department will focus.

How to help your adult child with Aspergers find meaningful employment?

As a parent of an adult child with Aspergers, employment and independence are goals you have been anxiously awaiting. Due to the spectrum of possible strengths and challenges, you cannot be sure how your child will function in the adult world until that time arrives. The possibilities range from certifiably disabled to completely independent and individually functioning. Most young adults with Aspergers will fall somewhere in between or towards the top of the scale due to the basic nature of this condition... . . . keep reading

I have an Adult son with Aspergers, any tips for life skills?

Independent living is the goal every parent has for their child with Aspergers. Life skills are best learned over time and chances are your adult son has the basic knowledge he needs in order to live a successful adult life. However, living independently is complex and takes a lot of work, planning, and support, from the individual and his family. You may find that your son is capable in many areas of life skills, but lacking in others. You can help him gain valuable skills, and in time, independence... . . . keep reading

Can I expect my son with Aspergers to ever be able to negotiate the adult world with success? He has so much trouble with social interaction. He is so much younger socially than his peers, I cannot imagine him suddenly being able to sell himself in an interview, get a date, keep his mind on his job and gain some respect from co-workers.

Older teens and young adults with Aspergers Syndrome are usually capable of handling life in the real world. On most occasions, you can expect your son with Aspergers to make his way in the world as an independent adult. However, his ways may not be conventional, and the process may look a little different from that of the typical young adult. Most likely, he will learn to adapt and find a way to do most of the things his peers are doing... . . . keep reading

My son is an adult of 38 with Aspergers. How do you really communicate how hurtful the total lack of empathy is? If I say, "Why do you only ever contact me if you want something, you want me to drop everything and help you, but you can't give me your time". It just does not register

The ability to empathize with our friends and loved ones is an important personality trait. Without empathy, we struggle to remain intimate due to the feelings of disconnect, hurt, and insignificance. One of the most frustrating aspects of Aspergers Syndrome is the lack of empathy often displayed by children and adults with this condition. As difficult as it is, we have to remember that displaying empathy does not come naturally for people with Aspergers Syndrome and even lots of discussion is unlikely to improve the situation... . . . keep reading

Our son was finally diagnosed with Aspergers apx. 1 year ago (he is 37). He needs immediate and urgent help with coping with his loneliness which has lead to the addiction of inappropriate contact (computer, texting & cell phone only; no personal contact) with females who are much younger than himself; although he thought they were 18 or older when communicating with them. It has gotten him into trouble with the law and looks as though it will continue to do so. He is begging for help and I don't where to get help for him. Do you have any suggestions?
It would seem that your son has a high ability to function if he was diagnosed with Asperger's one year ago. As a thirty-seven year old who now has had trouble with the law, he is going to need to make some changes in his life. He will need help making those changes ... . . . keep reading

How can I use my adult son's life and challenges to make others be more sensitive and accepting of those with challenges?
Unless you've experienced the trauma of a child receiving a developmental diagnosis, you have no idea how it affects a family. Even though you know that your child is still the same sweet baby as before the diagnosis, it can be difficult to grasp. Some days you want to hide the truth and other days you want to shout it to everyone close enough to hear. Unless you live it, you just don't understand the challenges of Asperger's Syndrome ... . . . keep reading

My son was diagnosed with Aspergers in his late 20's. In my state there is little help available for finding a suitable work environment or employers willing to assist, etc. What can we do?
It must seem overwhelming to you to learn now that your son has Asperger's Syndrome. It isn't an uncommon occurrence. Asperger's Syndrome is a condition that presents itself in different ways in different people, causing children to go through life labeled as geeky, nerdy, clumsy, or weird. Thankfully, educators and medical professionals are getting better at putting the symptoms together early, allowing for the extra help these kids need to be successful. It's important to remember, however, that ... . . . keep reading

My son with Aspergers is now in his twenties and we are concerned that he will not become responsible for himself. Any advice?
Learning responsibility is an on-going process that starts when we are children. Once we reach the teen years, our desire to do our own things grows strong. But the reality of actually leaving the nest and taking on all of the household chores soon hits and we begin to sit on our laurels, if you know what I mean. All the talk of moving out and being on our own gives way to silence as we hide in our room, listening to music. For most teens with Asperger's Syndrome, life isn't much different. Teens with Asperger's are ... . . . keep reading

How can my adult son with Aspergers find and keep a job?
We associate all of our self-worth on how successful we are in life. The right career, the perfect house, and good friends are all necessary for us to fit in. In reality, most people would be far happier with less if they could spend their days chasing their dreams instead of dollars. People with Asperger's Syndrome spend their time concentrating on personal interests. This can be useful when it comes to finding a job ... . . . keep reading

How can I decide how to provide opportunities for independent adult living?
The goal in life that everyone strives for is independence. We all want our children to be independent, making their own plans and decisions. We offer excellent guidance and support from a very young age to prevent as much struggle to learn basic social skills and coping strategies as possible. As our children grow up, we must take the steps necessary to help them achieve the ultimate goal of independence ... . . . keep reading

I would like to know more about Asperger's in adults, 35 years and on. Also can people with Asperger's also have Bipolar? And show extreme jealousy and possessiveness?
Asperger's Syndrome is thought to be something that a person develops at birth or shortly thereafter, and a person will live with for the rest of his life. If detected early enough, many children receive therapy and counselling that help them develop some of the social skills that are necessary to navigate the world. Since the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome is fairly recent, many people are not diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome until they are adults. Some adults who exhibit signs or symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome ... . . . keep reading

I just have started to work with adults with ASD, I work in a private home setting for an agency in my area. I would like to ask a few questions on handling situations with behaviors. Why at any given moment will they have a behavior, for no apparent reason, lashing out at a staff or another autistic person that lives there with them?
It is difficult to answer your question because there are so many reasons a person with Asperger's could lash out at another person. Individuals with Asperger's are all different and have different behavioral triggers, just as people without Asperger's do. People with Asperger's tend to have trouble in settings where there is ... . . . keep reading

I am struggling with my adult son with Asperger's. How can I help him understand that not all friendly people are good choices for friends? He's thousands of dollars in debt and has been in jail four times because of those who "befriended" him.
As you know, people with Asperger's tend to be more vulnerable and naive than other people; they don't always understand body language, joking, sarcasm, social cues, and other people's intentions. This can lead to interactions with people who are criminals, want to take advantage of them, and don't care about them. But, people with Aspergers need ... . . . keep reading

My daughter is now a parent. The biggest challenge is ensuring that she is reading my grandbaby's emotions appropriately and that she is interacting with the baby and not with her cell, My Space page, or other object!
This is a serious situation because the safety and well-being of a child is at stake. There are some good suggestions for you in this answer, but the most important thing to do is ... . . . keep reading

How do I get information to help an adult with Asperger's? My son was diagnosed as an adult, so I am not able to find out much about his problems/treatment due to patient confidentiality on the part of his doctors.
This definition comes from the online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia. "Asperger Syndrome {also called Asperger's Syndrome, Asperger's disorder, Asperger's or AS} is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in which there is no general delay in language or cognitive development. It is characterized by ... . . . keep reading

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