<p>Anyone have success stories about their children with Aspergers?
Where did they go to school? What did they major in? How did they do and how did they do it? What are they doing now? Thanks!</p>
<p>Aspergers isn’t a one size fits all disability. There is a huge range of ability within this group. We know several very successful college grads with Aspergers. A couple were computer science majors, and a couple were music majors. In all cases, these folks had great interest and talent in these areas. </p>
<p>I definitely know it isn’t one size fits all. But looking to hear success stories!</p>
<p>There is a forum out here where you will find some posts and posters who can talk knowledgeably about this:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/learning-differences-challenges-ld-adhd/”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/learning-differences-challenges-ld-adhd/</a> </p>
<p>I know three people with Asperger’s currently in college, all very happy and successful where they are: Syracuse University, Ithaca College, and Clark University.</p>
<p>I agree about the huge range, however, I have always felt that if aspies could be pointed in the direction of their obsessions, they can be immensely successful. The concentration and focus on one particular thing, to the exclusion of almost everything else, can work well for some. </p>
<p>To answer your questions, Carnegie Mellon Econ/comp sci, did well, though more interested in extracurriculars than GPA. Software engineer, high salary, happy, intense, and most importantly… a social life. An aspie success story, driven, focused, and will one day rule the world. But the fact that he got involved in his obsessions and interests meant everything. </p>
<p>Since people are so different, it is a tough question. Some attributes, such as more interest in EC’s than GPA, sudden disappearance of Executive Function skills at about age 16-19, and lack of ability to follow through on commitments and to remember appointments may ring some sort of a bell for you, or not. I think success may come more along the lines of an outcome story, not looking under the covers at the nail-biting, white-knuckling of the journey and the possible outcomes that somehow were avoided by seemingly chance occurrence. The best I can do is recommend a book for someone entering the journey that has some good practical tips: “Realizing the College Dream with Autism or Asperger Syndrome,” by Ann Palmer. I especially found Chapter 6 (Supports and Strategies in College) pragmatic and useful. I also recommend looking at “The Science of Making Friends,” by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson. Feel free to PM me. :)</p>
<p>My S has been successful…so far. He’s a music major, which is his passion, so no problems with academics. He had a hard time adjusting to campus life during his freshman year. But he found a friend who shares most of his quirks and interests and they are rooming together this year (soph year). Still struggling with some executive function issues and self-care (he also has major medical needs), but, fingers crossed, he seems happy, makes good grades and is very successful with his music. So far, so good. (He gets support through his university and has a “coach” who meets with him weekly to manage his schedule and his medical needs.)</p>
<p>RIT seems to have a great support program for Spectrum kids.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/ssp/info.php”>http://www.rit.edu/studentaffairs/ssp/info.php</a></p>
<p>@megpmom, how do you find a coach? How do you go about writing the job description, finding a pool of qualified applicants, advertising the position, and evaluating/feeding-back/interacting with the coach?</p>
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<p>I don’t have the impression that they disappear…I doubt Aspie kids ever had them (my kid who is borderline Aspergers sure never did!). I think those skills become very important in high school, and the gap between them and their nuero-typical peers becomes much more obvious in this area around age 14-15h. But in any case, it is one of the qualities that makes college success challenging for these kids.</p>
<p>@itsjustschool We were given a list of coaches from the Disabilities office at S’s school. We knew what he needed (based on advice from his therapist at home) so it was a matter of talking to the potential coaches, asking their background and “style”. S needed someone who was really laid back and had a sense of humor. And I think he got that. She is a graduate student in psychology with a younger sib with Aspergers. She and S clicked right away. She meets with him weekly to go over his schedule, read/respond to his email (he forgets to), gives him help with making doctors appointments, managing his prescriptions and diet, and sometimes coaches him on social situations or interactions (such as asking a professor for help). It was vital for freshman year, but now in 2nd year he is doing more and more on his own. We have her phone number and she has ours, but we try to stay out of it. Unless she sees that S is floundering, she doesn’t have contact with us. We feel that this respects his privacy and treats him like an adult. </p>
<p>I’ve known of a few students with Aspergers, and all of them are very intelligent. However, their success or difficulties depended on their other abilities- social, emotional, executive function, and being able to be away from home. Some were successful in high school, but they had mom helping with laundry, talking to teachers, and in general, much support from the adults in their lives. There is nothing wrong with this, and if this support led to their being able to excel academically, it was good. The question parents need to ask themselves is if their child is ready to be without this- and they will eventually- but are they ready at age 18?</p>
<p>I’ve heard of a few students with Aspergers who went off to college and did just fine. One student went very far from home, but he had many relatives living near his college. I’ve known of a couple of students who went to college and just couldn’t deal with the multiple demands of academics, social, and personal care. One transferred to a college within an hour of home and did much better. The other did well in community college and may transfer later. </p>
<p>I think it is possible for kids with Aspergers to do well in college, but a family needs to consider what other supports he/she may need, and when it is best to leave home. Some may be ready at 18, and some not. One could say the same for all 18 year olds. The coach idea is a good one, and this may help provide the supports a student needs when leaving home. </p>
<p>@megpmom I hope you know how lucky you are! This is EXACTLY what I am hoping for! I can only imagine the cliffs and ravines you have negotiated in accompanying your son to where he is. I would love to chat with a bird-of-a-feather. Feel free to PM me! OSD suggested “something like an ADHD coach,” but had no suggestions. Do you have a ‘job description’ either from your OSD or from your own notes?</p>
<p><<,
sudden disappearance of Executive Function skills at about age 16-19,</p>
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<p>This is just MHO after what I’ve observed and after speaking extensively with my sister, a clinical therapist.</p>
<p>For some/many with EFD issues, some issues may have been mitigated during their younger years by being exposed to routines, teaching, etc. (i.e. you wake, shower, dress, brush teeth, comb hair, etc). If you have a parent who is very good at effectively (not meanly) teaching/coaching routines, ways to effectively get things done, etc, then some issues are going to be mitigated. </p>
<p>But as EFD folks age, more “new things” come on the horizon and they don’t know how to make efficient choices/decisions or do things in logical orders. Since many who are affected don’t notice what’s going on around them (and learn from watching like others do) and often no one is still teaching/guiding/instilling routines, the teen/adult years might appear that suddenly EFD skills disappear during those years. </p>
<p>My H’s near-entire family has serious ADHD/EFC issues (there is some talk that ADHD may be also be on the Autism spectrum). For the longest time, I have scratched my head at many of the things that they did (the order, the choices, the not paying attention, gross money mismanagement, inability to plan/think ahead, missed deadlines, strange assumptions, etc). I’m not talking about personal choices which are always different. Since both parents seriously suffered, there was no one “minding the store” so-to-speak to instill routines, teach, etc. </p>
<p>Anyway…UAlabama has a program called ACTS which provides excellent support for those on the autism spectrum.
<a href=“http://autism-clinic.ua.edu/uaacts/”>http://autism-clinic.ua.edu/uaacts/</a></p>
<p>As mom2collegekids explained, what appears to be a disappearance of executive function might be the change in context cues or the kind of “scaffolding” a parent or peer provides with regards to keeping a routine. </p>
<p>One thing to consider before sending a child off to college is if that child has ever been on their own for for shorter times, such as camp or school trips. There are summer camps and programs for kids on the spectrum that allow them to have these kinds of experiences. </p>
<p>One child I know of who really seemed to fall apart in college had never left home before. He was extremely bright, but had little experience taking care of things like laundry and had parents to remind him if he forgot to do something. Since he grew up in the same neighborhood, he had friends and peers who also grew up with him and were a support system as well. Although he was capable of college level academics, losing this support system all at once was a tough transition. </p>
<p>The Alabama program sounds great!</p>
<p>DD is not Asperger, but she certainly hit a wall with EF challenges in tough hs IB classes. It was more a case of increasing workload than decreasing skills. (Another factor was probably lack of exercise factor after she stopped playing soccer.) Per my reading on CC, there are other bright kids with similar scenario. </p>
<p>We had never done a hoot of “scaffolding” for her. (In fact, when ms teachers asked the secret for raising such a good student, DH and struggled for an answer and finally said, “I guess we just stay out of her way”. ) She had enough brainpower to get by until 11th grade with a “wing it” approach. That didn’t work anymore when she had many challenging IB/AP classes, some that did not hold her interest. </p>
<p>I have heard very positive reports from parents of Aspies at Marshall U in West Virginia and at Murray State in Kentucky. </p>
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what appears to be a disappearance of executive function might be the change in context cues or the kind of “scaffolding” a parent or peer provides with regards to keeping a routine.
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<p>Exactly. </p>
<p>My SIL and I were discussing that we realized that our H’s (brothers) grew up in a home where they did the same thing nearly every day. No routine changes…they never went anywhere except school during the week, little league on Saturdays, and church on Sunday. They watched a ridiculous amount of TV…more than any kids I know from that era. The dad had an independent insurance agency (never did well because of his EFD issues), but he went to his office everyday, mostly to sit and read newspapers, magazines, and watch TV. </p>
<p>But the fact that home/school/work life was so routine and never-changing, they could somewhat handle those things. However, throw in some changes or new things, and suddenly the EFD issues are blaring. For instance, when MIL mailed us a glass covered framed photo, she just put it in a box, no bubble wrap, no newspaper to protect it, NOTHING…just the framed pic put inside a large box and mailed to us 2000 miles away. Of course when it arrived the glass was shattered and had cut/ruined the pic. My MIL has two college degrees from “name” schools, so she’s not some unsophisticated person. But, she truly has no clue when it comes to these sort of things. (I could go on and on and on…30 years of stories…including her being soooo late to two of her children’s weddings that she walked in (loud clicking heels down the aisle) in the middle of both church ceremonies…they waited as long as they could for her to arrive.). We had to “fudge” a bit about the time she had to be at our wedding just to make sure she didn’t have another repeat performance.</p>
<p>My point is that as we move from childhood to adulthood, more “new stuff” gets thrown at us…odd things at work, more technology advances, hiccups in schedules, changes in our communities, etc…all of those things can reveal EFD issues tremendously. </p>
<p>I know one at Olin and one at U. Rochester - both girls. Not sure it’s going to be a huge help for you to know this given that each kid is different, but there you go!!</p>