Autism and AS

Submitted by Laura Harlow on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 16:24
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Aloha everyone,

Some online reading prompted me to wonder about the population of undiagnosed adults on the autism spectrum, including Aspergers.  It is my understanding that the medical field did not incorporate autism as a medical condition for diagnosis until the 1990s.  That leaves a large population of adults who have never received adequate help or have been misdiagnosed as OCD or mentally ill (among many diagnostic possibilities).

In addition to contributing to issues in learning and possibly social behavior in the classroom, imagine the difficulties in the workplace and homes for these adults.  The studies I read state that the numbers of adults within the autism spectrum is the same as with children.

My question is whether and how this potential issue is being addressed in adult education.

Thanks,

Laura

Comments

Hi Laura,

That's a good question.  I see very little information on Autism in adult education.

Here is some basic information from the National Institute for Mental Health on Autism from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/a-parents-guide-to-autism-spectrum-disorder/what-is-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd.shtml >

Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders, collectively called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment, or disability, that children with ASD can have. Some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms, but others are severely disabled.

ASD is diagnosed according to guidelines listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition - Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). The manual currently defines five disorders, sometimes called pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs), as ASD:

  • Autistic disorder (classic autism)

  • Asperger's disorder (Asperger syndrome)

  • Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)

  • Rett's disorder (Rett syndrome)

  • Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD).

 

During my years in a public school system, we did have students with Autism in our programs.  Some were at the higher end of the spectrum whereas others were at the opposite end.

Let's begin a thread on this topic and see whether group members have any experience with students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum.

 

Rochelle Kenyon, Subject Matter Expert (SME)

 

I really feel that this concern is absent in adult education and may play a role in the frustrations and lack of success of many adults in these programs.  In addition, taking it a little further, what about the issues of domestic or civil violence.  How many individuals do not have the capability to empathize with others because they needed instruction or help and  never received it.  Then, consider the perpetual homeless or chronically unemployed.

Laura

 

 

Hello Rochelle and all, I think you have identified a gap in our attention to the impact of disabilities in our classrooms and in our professional development. We need some real data and conversations to spur program planning and partnering with community agencies equipped to help our learners and to inform us.

Here is an article I've held on to because I thought it was provocative: http://communitycollegespotlight.org/content/a-tsunami-of-disabled-students_5870/ 

Heidi

Hi Heidi,

Thanks for jumping in to this discussion and sharing the article on college & Autism.  If I had to guess, I would say that autism is not even on the radar screen as a problem for most adult educators.  I do get requests  to recommend programs from parents of adult children with autism.  That tells me something.

I wonder if any of our PD specialists can say whether training on autism for adult educators has been offered.

Rochelle Kenyon, SME

Colleagues,


A San Francisco Chronicle article, "Experts brace for wave of autistic adults" may be of interest.

 http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Experts-brace-for-wave-of-autistic-adults-3921071.php

Now three weeks after the original post, I have seen no responses that discuss how the needs of autistic adults are being met in programs. I wonder i this is because programs don't (yet) see the need, because there are no resources for training, or for other reasons. It would be great to ehar from a teacher or administrator of a program or school that is addressing the needs of autistic adults.


David J. Rosen

djrosen123@gmail.com