Autism Adulthood by Susan Senator

Author:Susan Senator
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2016-02-29T16:00:00+00:00

Resources for Relationships, Sexuality, and Autism

• iAssist Communicator is one of the only communication apps I could find specifically for adults. The site boasts a “sleek, mature design,” and is “specifically focused on the more cognitively challenged. The founder is a psychologist and a mom with an adult with autism. With the unique needs of these individuals in mind, the app incorporates photos rather than more abstract drawings, larger images, and functional language.” Dr. Peter Gerhardt is also on the management team at iAssist, so that in itself is a great recommendation: www.iassistcompany.com

• Capitalize on obsessions and rituals as a starting point to connection. Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) and other behavioral modifications can teach certain pragmatics that will help foster higher-functioning skills of every sort, as well as independence. Also, utilize the relational therapies that begin with the autistic person’s preferences and hobbies and build skills outward from specific interests, like Pivotal Response Therapy (PRT) (www.autismprthelp.com/) and Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based (DIR): www.icdl.com/DIR.

• ACT Programs from the Governor’s Council of Minnesota are all about self-advocacy skills and knowing your rights as a person with a disability trying to function in the world, particularly on the job: www.selfadvocacy.org/programs/workskills.htm

• The organization AASPIRE has a handy resource, the AASPIRE Healthcare Toolkit: Primary Care Resources for Adults on the Autism Spectrum and their Primary Care Providers (autismandhealth.org)

• Healthy Transitions, Moving from Pediatric to Adult Health Care, New York State Institute for Health Transition Training: www.healthytransitionsny.org. This website is for youth with developmental disabilities ages fourteen to twenty-five, family caregivers, service coordinators, and health-care providers.

• Speak it! is an app that allows you to select text and it will read it aloud to you: www.chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/speakit

• Students with autism interested in pursuing post-secondary education can apply for $3,000 scholarships through OAR: www.ow.ly/HMkaN

• Between the Lines Advanced (for Adults) is an app that allows the user to work on understanding subtlety and nuance in communication: itunes.apple.com/us/app/between-the-lines-advanced-hd/id574685561?mt=8

• Job interview coaching software: www.jobinterviewtraining.net

• The Autism Research Institute has a lot of material about autism adulthood sexual and social issues: www.autism.com/news_agi_ebulletin

• BCCH (British Columbia, Canada Children’s Hospital) website: http://www.bcchildrens.ca/our-services/support-services/transition-to-adult-care/youth-toolkit/sexual-health

• Attend the TASH (originally stood for The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps) Conferences, tash.org,which are all about inclusion and skill-building. They are for self-advocates, family members, professionals, and autism friends. Find your region and see what training they can offer you.

• Jess Wilson’s blog Diary of a Mom for a great example of a loving, smart-as-a-whip perspective of autism acceptance: adiaryofamom.com/

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.