| Autism is a cognitive disorder that now affects 1 out | | | | change. Another issue is coming up. The children are |
| of every 166 children born. This disorder negatively | | | | growing up and more housing is going to be needed |
| affects social development and thought processes. | | | | for the lower functioning autistic adults. Many of them |
| These children grow up and have to get prepared for | | | | live with their parents, will likely outlive them and need a |
| adulthood. When possible, these children need to get | | | | place to go. Studies suggest that as many as 500,000 |
| started on their preparation for adulthood starting in | | | | autistic children will reach adulthood in the next 15 |
| their teen years. It is at this time that you should | | | | years. Thankfully, there are several organizations |
| consider job possibilities and any training that would be | | | | working on getting the funding for this now but the |
| needed for those jobs. | | | | problem they are having is getting services for the |
| There are generally two types of autism, low | | | | residents. The studies that have been done report a |
| functioning and high functioning. Low functioning autistic | | | | lack of service providers needed to meet the needs |
| adults will need constant care while high functioning | | | | of this growing population requiring housing in the next |
| autistic adults are able to carry on normal lives by | | | | several years to come. |
| working, supporting themselves, and having families. | | | | Depending on whom you ask autism can be a difficult |
| Whether an autistic adult is successful or not is a | | | | disorder to live with. Social interaction is a day to day |
| derivative of the care and education they received as | | | | struggle for the high functioning autistic adult. The right |
| children. | | | | training and support can make this much easier on |
| There are organizations that provide employment | | | | them. This training is fundamental to their gaining |
| opportunities for autistic adults. They also conduct a | | | | independence. It is important that society familiarize |
| host of job training programs based on the areas of | | | | itself with all aspects of autism because the number of |
| strength for that particular person. The ability of an | | | | children born with autism is climbing at an alarming rate. |
| autistic adult to manage a job, family, and finances | | | | They, as anyone else with any other disability, require |
| depends on this kind of training as well as the severity | | | | special understanding. The also deserve the right to be |
| of their condition. | | | | successful. By the time they reach adulthood, |
| The face of autism has always been the face of a | | | | symptoms of their disorder may be masked by their |
| child even though it is not solely a childhood disease | | | | life style, effects of drugs, treatment experiences, and |
| because it never goes away. That is now beginning to | | | | their own effort to cope with their disorder. |