Beyond High School!
Find a Conversation
Beyond High School!
| Wed, 03-22-2006 - 9:40pm |
I know most of our kids are pretty young and college seems far off in the distance but I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of supports are in place right now for kids with ASD's who attend college?
Teresa
Teresa

Pages
There is alot of info on the coulter video website about this.
That is what I thought about ADA. That is what most states do. Kids can be covered under IDEA until 22 if they are severe special needs but after 18 they are covered under either state programs for people with disabilities or ADA.
I finally remembered, it is the Dept. Of Rehab here that will pay for community college and help provide supports. But it is mostly modifications and counselling type support.
Did you all ever see the Lifetime movie "Miracle Run"? A mom of 2 autistic boys and one started running and winning races in highschool. I met her at a local support group meeting and she was talking about her boys in college. Yes they actually made it. One more easily than the other but one thing she and her husband did was to be his support. They started by sitting in the hall for each class and slowly faded off.
I also am putting Cait on a list for a service dog because of college and job stuff. I really feel a service dog will help her with her independence in situations like that. The dog can't take notes for her but will help her maintain calm and focus. Help her find where she is supposed to be, etc.
Renee
Teresa,
The one good thing for us is that our kids are still young.
Powered by CGISpy.com
The focus for the past number of years has been early intervention. Now that we have EI fairly well under control it appears the focus is beginning to shift some to adult issues which is important. Often regardless many of the children grow up still having some level of needs and life as an adult is a huge concern.
I think it is highly likely by the time our kids grow up, hopefully by the time mine are adults and definitely by the time yours are adults, there will be more available for them.
I know a fair number of adults on the spectrum now and it is not an easy road, even for the high functioning. Some are college students. If you bop by the other place and the magazine we have a regular collumnist who writes about being an AS adult. She is the one who someone put her article from baltimore linked here.
She has just sent us a 5page article about her winter break going all over the US meeting other Aspies. HOpefully it will be up soon.
Renee
I hope you are right and by the time our kids are college age much more services are available for them. I think Tina is right about contacting state reps and making sure they know about our kids needs and pushing for more money and services in our communities. I really think your plan for Cait is great and will be really a wonderful experience for her to do something she loves and gain knowledge in an area that she obviously has a lot of interest in. When I went to see Temple Grandin she talked a lot about the fact the reason she was so sucessful in her career was because she was working in a field that had been one of her obsessions. I got a great book at that seminar called "Developing Talents" careers for individuals with AS and high functioning autism. She feels finding a mentor in the field that interested her made all the difference to her.Maybe you could find someone who would be willing to do the same for Cait. If only I could figure out how to make Thomas the Tank Engine work into something career wise for Jake(LOL)!Actually, yesterday he asked me if we could take a trip in my car to Neptune. How do you explain to a 3 year old that moms suburu can't make it there(LOL)? I just told him that when he gets big it will be his job to figure out how to do it!
Teresa
I am so glad cait's obsession is animals. It works so easily into a wide number of professions she could do and enjoy.
I still haven't figured out what to do with Mike. Mike doesn't have 1 obsession that sticks forever that I can use. It is basically movies, video games and legos. But it is playing or watching them. So today the obsession may be Harry Potter and then in a month it may be Bionicle, etc.
I was thinking he could work in Fry's or some computer place as one of those Geek types but that requires a level of social skills and tolerance that I just don't see him gaining. I think his job is going to have to require something that ISN'T customer oriented.
He wants to be a scientist. I suppose he could but then you have that college thing to contend with. There are lots of online courses available. Perhaps he will do well with those for prerequisites and then get into a lab situation with other similarly inclined people. But how do you prepare him young for that? I think he will do much of the same volunteer work or workability stuff as Cait.
Renee
Pages