Preparing Adolescents with Autism for Adulthood

For many people, adolescence is a stage of life that can be filled with both excitement and feelings of trepidation. It is a time when you begin to enter adulthood. The body begins to undergo some significant physical changes. For example, Boys will find that they begin to increase in strength and develop increased muscle mass, often experiencing a “growth spurt” during adolescence. The mind also begins to develop, and advanced mental skills, such as critical thinking, become more prominent, which are ideally supported by their ongoing education. 

Puberty can also be a time when people start to define themselves, with specific tastes developing in different forms of music and finding other interests that resonate with them. At times, the journey through adolescence can be difficult, as there may be a perceived need to conform or to seek popularity, while also navigating relationships and emerging sexuality. Adolescence can also be extremely challenging for people with autism, which is the focus of this article. Advice is given on how to prepare adolescents with autism for adulthood, ensuring that their journey can be navigated safely and effectively.

Access an all-in-one autism app 

It is estimated that 27.6 out of every 1,000 children in America have some form of autism. As autism is a spectrum disorder, the severity of its impact on daily life can vary. Adolescents with severe autism may be non-verbal and struggle to undertake a wide range of activities. At the other end of the scale, daily life can be largely managed with some minor changes to environments and routines. It is important to understand that there are a range of autism apps for adults and young people that can help them cope with challenges in early adulthood. Such apps can include access to professional counseling services that allow autistic adolescents to talk openly about any problems that they may be experiencing as they navigate through puberty. In addition, such apps typically include resources and information that allow autistic adolescents to create a work, rest, or study environment that allows them to flourish. Search online for all-in-one autism apps and find one that suits your needs and is structured in a way that suits your style of learning. 

Speak candidly about sexual awareness

Parents and guardians of autistic adolescents need to recognize that the subject of sexual awareness will need to be discussed. Young autistic people will find that they may have increased desires as they go through puberty and may need help to navigate these feelings. Some autistic people may also need to learn more about boundaries and acceptable behaviors as they become adults. It can be ideal to get dedicated resources about puberty for autistic people. This can help educate both parents and the autistic adolescent to understand the changes that will be taking place and how to cope with any new feelings.

Consider suitable employment roles

As a brief final point, it is important to consider what types of work can be undertaken by autistic people as they become adults of working age. A lot will depend on the severity of the condition, but many autistic people find that they can hold down professional jobs and enjoy meaningful careers. Jobs in the IT and Tech sectors can be ideal for many autistic people, along with roles that focus on high levels of accuracy and repetition. Discuss potential job preferences with your autistic adolescent and work together to find roles of interest. It can be ideal to arrange work experience sessions with employers who are disability confident as they will be able to take steps to modify the working environment to create a safe and productive space for autistic people.