Asperger's and Employment- Part 1
Many teens with Asperger's (AS), High Functioning Autism (HFA), PDD-NOS, and other diagnoses involving deficits in social communication fall through the cracks, so to speak, in middle and high school. Especially if the individual on the spectrum gets good grades and exhibits more internalized behaviors than externalized ones, some school professionals may overlook the need for social communication instruction and social aspects of vocational preparation. After high school, many young adults with Asperger's entering college and the workforce are unable to maintain student status and/or employment, not because of a lack of intelligence and academic/job skills, but because of the array of complicated issues that usually accompany AS, as well as the lack of experience with individuals with AS, on the part of the college, university, or employer.
As parents and teachers, we need to first and foremost provide our teenagers with AS the nuanced social communication skills they will need in any place of study or employment they choose. Also, we need to teach them the self-advocacy skills required to modify their study or work environments to fit their own needs. Finally, we should work with our teenagers to help them discover their preferences, learning styles, and strengths in school/work environments. If your teenage son or daughter with High Functioning Autism, Asperger's, PDD-NOS, or Sensory Integration Disorder is interested in finding and keeping full or part-time employment this summer, Asperger Syndrome and Employment: What People with Asperger Syndrome Really Really Want by Sarah Hendrickx is a great foundational resource to help determine what to consider. The book includes a thorough discussion on how AS affects employment, what works and doesn't work, utilizing strengths, logistics of finding a job, specialist support services, and tips for success
Book of the Week:
This book is in the SESA Library. You may search the library catalog via the SESA website (http://www.sesa.org), or contact Anne directly by email at afreitag@sesa.org or by phone at 907-334-1301.
