Adults with Aspergers | Autism PDD

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Adults With Asperger's

Recognizing the Signs

We've probably all read the stories about famous people who possibly had Asperger's Syndrome, but were undiagnosed. The names mentioned range from Albert Einstein to Thomas Jefferson. These people lived or became adults before the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome or high functioning autism even existed, so no one can tell for sure if they had this condition or not, but they shared common characteristics with adults who have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome today.

What are these common characteristics? How can a person tell if they might be an undiagnosed Aspie, a term many Asperger's patients use to refer to themselves? Is there help for the adult who carries an Asperger's diagnosis? These are three questions in the minds of a large number of individuals.

The Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service(CLASS), an organization in the United Kingdom that works with adult (age 18 or older) Asperger's patients has developed a simple ten question checklist to help identify those individuals who fit the common characteristics of Asperger's patients.

I find social situations confusing.
I find it hard to make small talk.
I did not enjoy imaginative story-writing at school.
I am good at picking up details and facts.
I find it hard to work out what other people are thinking and feeling.
I can focus on certain things for very long periods.
People often say I was rude even when this was not intended.
I have unusually strong, narrow interests.
I do certain things in an inflexible, repetitive way.
I have always had difficulty making friends.

Does meeting all of these descriptions mean that the individual has undiagnosed Asperger's Syndrome? No, it simply means that they share characteristics with others who are classified as Asperger's patients.

Are these questions diagnostic in nature? Again, the answer is No. The questions themselves might be used to rule out Asperger's, but they do not lead to a diagnosis. They are simply indicators of similarities.

Is there help for the adult with an Asperger's diagnosis? Yes! Read more on page two.

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Asperger's Adults and Forms of Help
Understanding the Support Systems

from Floyd Tilton

Asperger's Adults and Forms of Help

Help for the adult with Asperger's is available in the following forms:

Relevant information on Asperger's Syndrome
Social support groups for the patient and his/her family
Advice to employers, family members and care givers
Sheltered employment opportunities if they are appropriate
Social skills training to help develop necessary life skills
Advice on disability benefits through public or private programs

For most adults with Asperger's, the condition is not a disability, according to the rules that agencies such as Social Security use to determine disability. According to Social Security's definition, a disability must prevent ANY "substantial gainful activity (SGA)." This is currently defined by law as income over 0 per month.

Many Asperger's individuals are able to earn more than this, not in sheltered workshop settings, but in the nationwide economy in general. As a result, Social Security looks at each case on an individual basis, based on such things as the individual's ability to do work related activity. A close look at the common characteristics listing above will show that unless they are severely limiting to the individual, none of the characteristics would prevent some types of gainful employment.

For the adult with Asperger's Syndrome, a strong support system, educational and vocational training opportunities, and social skills training appear to offer the best chance for a successful integration into society and the work environment. Programs such as the CLASS program offer an excellent opportunity to make this integration possible. Once this integration takes place, the adult Asperger's patient can make a successful transition into life's mainstream.

Read the DSM-IV Definition of Asperger's Syndrome on the next page.

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