Launching Your Autistic Youth to Successful Adulthood by Katharina Manassis

Launching Your Autistic Youth to Successful Adulthood by Katharina Manassis

Author:Katharina Manassis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Published: 2020-05-20T16:00:00+00:00


DENISE

Denise had always been a very picky eater. She ate even less when her mother tried to force her to eat or when she had fights with her sister. Her sister was embarrassed when Denise behaved inappropriately in front of peers because of her ASD, prompting her to bully Denise. Denise saw a therapist regularly to discuss these issues, but the sibling conflict escalated when Denise was in Grade 12 and turning 18. Her weight became dangerously low.

Denise was referred to an outpatient eating disorders program for young adults, but the workers at the program rejected her because she was already too emaciated to meet their criteria. She was referred to an inpatient eating disorders program for young adults. The intake coordinator there noted that her eating problems were “all part of ongoing autism since childhood” and should therefore be dealt with by autism experts, though none were available in the area. Meanwhile, Denise’s weight continued to decrease.

Fortunately, the case had a happy ending. Denise’s therapist connected her with a new, adult-focused psychiatrist who advocated for access to the inpatient program as the eating problems were clearly beyond the norm for autism. Denise was tube-fed to attain a more normal weight and started family therapy while in hospital. The family therapist admitted no experience with ASD, but applied the same principles she typically used with youth who had eating disorders. She was able to see past Denise’s autism and treat her like any young woman with an eating disorder. Continued family therapy and her sister’s departure for university both helped Denise reach and maintain a healthy weight.

What can you do while waiting for these systemic issues to improve? In my experience, the best approach is to talk to providers about your youth’s unique needs and how you appreciate their willingness to address them. Humanize the young person by describing what they have struggled with, what was helpful to them in the past, and how you are having difficulty finding similar care now that they are approaching adulthood. Many health care providers pride themselves in being “patient-centered” rather than treating everyone according to the same arbitrary rules. If you can engage providers in a friendly (rather than adversarial) conversation, and they understand your youth’s unique needs, they are more likely to “think outside the box” to accommodate those needs. If they don’t seem to listen, a good family doctor or case manager may be able to have a similar conversation with them.



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