How do autistic adults live? “I explained to my husband that crying is normal.” Examples of centenarians and famous personalities with ASD

Sasha from St. Petersburg, who suffers from autism spectrum disorder, shared with us her story of how difficult it is to find yourself in a society that denies or ignores the problems of autistics. We present the text, fully preserving its content and style of the author.

We in no way believe that the information given in the story is universal in relation to the entire field of work with autism in Russia and the specialists involved in it, and we emphasize that it cannot serve to self diagnosis autism spectrum disorders.

There is no autism in Russia. And gays. And corruption. Alcoholism, low wages, dead roads, where did you see it at all? Well, I mean, you don't have a problem with that, do you? Well, others don't either. Ignore any information about autism as if you were being paid for it. It would be better, of course, to give money for rehabilitation centers, schools, or at least human learning programs.

Autism is not a cough, it's a set different symptoms, depending on the totality of which it can be concluded that a person has one or another autism spectrum disorder. There is a huge difference between clinical autism, which is diagnosed in early childhood, and autism in adults who have gone through the stages of quasi-adaptation on their own and now live on an equal footing with the rest - go to work, have children, sometimes even suddenly come to success in one or another areas.

Adults don't punch themselves in the face, they're just sad introverts, sometimes showing off something that could be described as talent. Their self-isolation is based on the inability to communicate with society: autistic people often do not mind being a part of it themselves, but their mind works differently than the mind of a person who does not have this disorder. There is no question of madness - autistic people are adequate, they experience emotions, they experience them very deeply and sincerely, regardless of what the experience gave rise to.

That's why, for example, I don't watch movies - it's too sad. Or too stupid. The first film that I cried over was called "Transformers": I was very sorry for Bumblebee. From books I prefer professional literature. I am autistic, as you should have already realized, and my autism is quite mild compared to other people with autism spectrum disorders. This low level, and someone goes through it in a severe form, and I'm afraid to imagine what these people are like when I feel so bad.

Autistic people need a special approach. A child or adult with autism does not show off, he cannot perform this or that task due to the lack of proper instructions. Autistic people are distinguished by indifference, they are always focused on their work. But this indifference is a defensive reaction.

Pull the autistic by the ears adult life, where there will be no mommy and daddy, it's difficult. It takes skill to use the focus of a person with an autism spectrum disorder. 5 + 5 = don't know, 5 red cars + 5 red cars = 10 red cars. This is for an example. People are not in the autistic's circle of interests, but the autist is grateful for the care and support. An autistic person does not need indulgence, an autistic person is sick - he needs help.

The diagnosis of autism in children in Russia is, to put it mildly, inaccurate. I now have hystero-excitable psychopathy, but I'm not a psychopath. Children are more often diagnosed with schizotypal disorder, adults are always diagnosed with it. Even if you have medical card black and white indicates autism spectrum disorder, as soon as you turn 18, you will cease to be autistic and move into the category of schizoids. I had to spend a lot of time and effort to understand, analyze and draw the right conclusion, which no one did for me, and I'm already 23 years old.

you don't get complex therapy- they can prescribe drugs that stop the symptoms, but the root of the problem remains, and side effects neuroleptics will depress the brain, and one day you may find that you really have gone.

Meanwhile, in the "dense geyrop" and in Israel, this issue is approached more responsibly, and that's great, but I'm not there. Skepticism of parents and doctors in question mental health deals critical damage: who knows who I would be and what I would have done if someone would have paid a little more attention to me.

I can't say when it started. Once I was simply taken and speech disorders appeared. Mom yelled at me “talk normally”, but for some reason it didn’t work! At the age of 16, I corrected the situation myself, a friend cut my tongue in half (I have the so-called “snake tongue”). Since then, I have been resting on the palate, teeth and gums with only one half of the tongue, and this helps me control speech.

I remember that in the 3rd grade I refused the school program, expressing a strong unwillingness to ski. There was a conflict, I asked for time off to go home and on the way I dressed myself in bologna pants. She reached the house with warmth and comfort, but with some heaviness and anxiety. That's how I live. Something is going on, I can't explain it - I'm off, invariably crap myself, but I feel better. I'm not retarded kindergarten I learned to count and read faster than anyone, I counted from 1 to 100 and back almost from the stool for the manager.

At school, they always got me with olympiads: I’m smart, so why don’t I want to win another first place for the class? “I don’t want to” is the best reason not to do something. In the 4th grade, I stopped doing my homework because it prevented me from spending my time the way I wanted and provided me with additional responsibilities. And if something gets in the way, I usually resolve the issue in my own way.

My acquaintances clearly lack contact and loyalty. Have to twist. I can’t distinguish what they say if I don’t see the lips of the interlocutor, but at the same time I can’t look into the eyes. learned effective way- look at the bridge of the nose, it works very well, I advise. I know Russian and English language at an acceptable level, above average, but I do not know a single grammatical rule. I never learned tenses, verbs, cases, declensions and the rest. In my head, this is presented as a series of screenshots that I took from the book immediately into memory: I clearly see pictures with examples, their number creates a rule. Such is the nature of thinking.

I love to sort. Many people like this, especially during the cleaning process, to lay out the little things in boxes, if possible - to catalog them. I love it, but in my own way: I have 2 million saved pictures on my computer, 200,000 posted online, and there are only 6,000 repeated images - which means that I have an excellent memory. But at the same time, at school, I could not learn a single verse, sew an apron in labor lessons, or remember something more complicated than discriminants in mathematics. Having started my studies at the Humanitarian and Legal Lyceum, I immediately began to slide down, finished 9 classes, passing exams with the help of cheat sheets.

Couldn't get anywhere. Want medical education. I want art education. I want to stop thinking that even in a school I can only enter for a bribe. Thank you for the Internet, thanks to which I have money, where I can communicate the way I imagine it. Years of surfing the internet brought me a handful of people who understood me and now care. I feel satisfied that someone likes the result of my hobby - the group with pictures is now closed, all applications go through the rules I set. This is my little kingdom, my house, my family.

I can't go to an interview and say, "Hello, I can concentrate on a task so that your jaw drops." Or boast of amazing observations about pictures on the Internet, sketchy knowledge here and there. All this is not considered and, as it were, does not exist in the real world. Rarely do I feel really comfortable, but never with strangers. I do not agree to compromise, in any matter. There are no compromises, compromises do not solve the problem of clash of views - they are just putty on the crack between my world and the rest.

I don't want to go to the doctor and receive a diagnosis that I don't agree with, to be treated in a way that suits me for someone I'm not. I don’t want to go to someone I don’t know, and I don’t know specific individuals who research autism. Childhood autism is finally being tackled, but it's not fair to those who were once children too.

I am open to cooperation in this matter, but in Russia there is too biased assessment, leading to haloperidol and antipsychotics. These methods are not a solution: at some point I went to look for a solution myself, and I am simply scared that the methods that suit me are criminally punishable in Russia. Sativa varieties are already clear which plant can relieve symptoms and say goodbye to some behavioral disorders. Stimulants too. There are, of course, antidepressants and other barbiturates, but the side effects from them are simply terrible. I don’t want to “beat” my already shaky little head within the framework of the legislation of that country that is not ready to take care of me and has never been ready (and is not going to).

This is not a call to use illegal drugs as a remedy - this is a demonstration of what generally happens to people who are not helped because they did not find the problem in time. Try closing your eyes and walking down an open well. In your opinion, the well should be closed with a hatch - all wells are always closed with hatches. But the fact that you do not see how something goes wrong, the situation will not improve.

And finally, my sincere advice to those who have a similar problem: put your hands on your feet, find a couple of thousand dollars and go to some Israel. Do not wait for the weather from the sea and do not try to catch luck by the tail in Russia. Especially if you are from the outback, not from Moscow, St. Petersburg.
We plan to post a few more stories from Sasha on our blog. So stay tuned for new publications on our website or subscribe to our pages in

Many parents, having heard the diagnosis of autism from doctors, perceive it as a death sentence for the child. This disease has been known for a long time, but there is still no unambiguous answer to the question: who is an autist among children's and adult doctors. Babies born are almost no different from healthy children, since the symptoms of the disease begin to appear by 1-3 years. Improper upbringing of "special" kids and incorrect behavior of the close environment leads to their isolation from society.

What is autism

IN medical reference books autism disease (infantile autism) is interpreted as biologically determined mental disorder pertaining to general violations development. The phenomenon is accompanied by immersion "into oneself", the desire for constant solitude and unwillingness to contact people. The concept of what autism is and how it manifests itself, became interested in 1943, the child psychiatrist Leo Kanner. He introduced the definition of early childhood autism (ARD).

Causes

Statistics of recent decades show that autism syndrome in newborns has become more common. There are many stereotypes about this mental state. The mechanisms of the onset of the disease do not depend on the material well-being of people and are not always psychiatric in nature. These include:

genetic mutations and hereditary predisposition;
transferred during the gestation of the fetus infectious and viral diseases;
the birth of the first child after 35 years;
hormonal disbalance in a pregnant woman;
living in areas with poor environmental conditions;
weakness of the X chromosome;
interaction of the expectant mother with pesticides, heavy metals.

stages

Faced with the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, it is necessary to distinguish the severity of the patient's condition. It is difficult for a person who is far from neuropsychology to understand the official terminology. In order to understand in practice who autists are, you should familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each of the stages. this disease:

Asperger's syndrome is different high level intelligence and the presence of developed speech. Due to the high functionality of such people, doctors experience difficulties with diagnosis, and external manifestations are perceived as the extreme limits of the norm or personality accentuation.
The classic autism syndrome is distinguished by the presence obvious signs deviations in three directions nervous activity: social aspect, behavior and communication.
atypical autism expressed by far not all the features characteristic of the disease. Anomalies can only concern the development of the speech apparatus.
Rett syndrome is more common in girls, characterized by a severe form of the course. The disease becomes evident in younger age.
Disintegrative disorder in children occurs from 1.5-2 years and develops up to school age. The clinical picture looks like a loss of already acquired skills (attention, oral speech, limb motility).

Symptoms

Answering the question of who autists are, it is impossible to name the exact classification of the signs of the disease, since the symptoms congenital pathology are individual. According to statistics, boys are more prone to developing an illness than girls. Common indicators of a disorder are:

age-inappropriate or missing speech;
frequently repeated actions related to interests, games;
social violations, manifested as the inability to behave in an environment of peers;
avoidance eye contact, the desire for loneliness;
strong attachment to certain objects.

Autism test

To determine whether a person suffers from autism or not, only a specialist is absolutely capable. Existing online tests cannot provide exact result. When examining in a doctor's office, take into account behavioral features characteristic of the patient throughout his life. The perception of the interlocutor's emotions and imaginative thinking are taken as the basis in the testing process.

autistic children

The topic of who autists are has been worrying society since the last century. This is due to a surge in the incidence in the last 20 years. Autism in children manifests itself early, is distinguished by a number of specific aspects. You can recognize it by the following symptoms:

the child does not respond to his own name, does not look into the eyes;
lack of interest in peers, preference for solitary activities;
repetition of the same phrases;
performing a limited set of actions with frequent repetition, treating them like rituals;
panic attacks are observed when changing the usual environment;
written language, verbal communication and new skills are given with great difficulty;
propensity for specific activities (drawing, mathematics, drawing).

Signs of autism in babies

By outward signs it is impossible to recognize the disease in a newborn, however, during the first two years, parents may notice deviations from the norm. An autistic child is extremely non-emotional, does not cry when his mother leaves, rarely smiles and does not require attention. The main symptom of autistic disorder is a delay in the development of speech. Self-aggression and obsessive behavior towards other children is noted. Often the baby experiences a feeling of fear and reacts inadequately to ordinary light, sounds.

How to live with an autistic child

After making an appropriate diagnosis, parents begin to be interested in: what is autism in a child and is it possible social adaptation children with a similar disorder? In this matter, the severity of the anomaly is of great importance. You need to learn to perceive the baby as a person. In everyday life, you will have to carefully plan everything, avoiding unpleasant moments for an autistic person. Rely on the reaction of the child should be even in matters of food and clothing. If the disease proceeds in mild forms, then every effort should be made to unlock the potential of a sick child.

Teaching children with autism

Having learned about who an autist is, adults set themselves the goal of adapting their ward as much as possible to an independent and fulfilling life. Many methods have been created for correcting the behavior of autistic children, home learning systems based on deep knowledge of the first stages child development. One of the effective teaching tools is the "Game Time" program, which is based on establishing contact with the patient with the help of a kind of game.

Autism in adults

The modern community has begun to ask more often: who are autists, since these people are found in various areas of life. Adult autism is a poorly understood pathophysiology associated with withdrawal from real world, not the ability to simple communication and perception. Regular therapy can give good results, allowing the patient to lead a full life and occupy a high social position.

How does it manifest

The severity of the signs of autism is directly related to the form of its course. Outwardly ill autistic people in mild stage do not differ from healthy people. The most common symptoms that indicate the presence of a disorder are the following:

inhibited reaction, minimal gestures and facial expressions;
excessive isolation, quiet, often incoherent speech;
lack of perception of emotions, intentions of others;
the conversational process resembles the behavior of a robot;
inadequate response to a change of scenery, extraneous noise, light;
communicative function and a sense of humor are practically absent.

How autistic people see the world

Today, in different parts of the world, scientists are increasingly talking about the epidemiology of autism. Understand what an autist is normal person difficult, because the picture of the world of these people looks completely different. Due to a genetic failure, the brain becomes overly active, not having time to connect and analyze everything that happens. The environment is seen fragmentary and distorted. Sensory perception is expressed in touch, for example, touching a soft tissue, the patient can rebound from it, like from fire.

How adults with autism live

With sufficient development of intellectual abilities, patients lead an independent life without the help of guardians, they can master a profession, start a family, and give birth to completely healthy offspring. However, the main part of the autistic community leads a closed life and is not able to do without partial or complete care from relatives and doctors.

How to work with autists

Some forms of pathology offer patients the opportunity to realize themselves professionally and creatively. Autistic people are able to master such specialties as accounting, web design, programming, various crafts, and screening. They are suitable for working with archives, repair household appliances, computer repair, laboratory work. Among autists there is a veterinary technician, a programmer. People working with this kind of patient need to learn to ignore the manifestations of the disease and remember that they have a delay in processing information.

How long do autists live

No specialist will undertake to make accurate predictions about the life expectancy of a particular autistic person. The diagnosis of autism does not affect this indicator. To ensure the normal life of an autistic child, parents must create the most favorable environment, taking into account his communicative and sensory features.

Conditions that mimic autism

Delayed psychoverbal development with autistic features

Symptoms of this disease are associated with a delay in psychoverbal development. They are similar in many ways to the signs of autism. Starting from the very early age, the child does not develop according to established standards: he does not babble, then he does not learn to speak simple words. The baby's vocabulary is very limited. Such children are sometimes hyperactive and poorly developed physically. The final diagnosis is established by the doctor. It is important to visit a psychiatrist, speech therapist with the child.

Hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder

This condition is also often mistaken for autism. With a lack of attention, children are restless, it is difficult for them to study at school. There are problems with concentration, such children are very mobile. Even in adulthood, this condition partially remains. People with this diagnosis find it difficult to remember information and make decisions. It is necessary to try to identify this condition as early as possible, practice treatment with psychostimulants and sedative drugs, and also visit a psychologist.

hearing loss

These are various hearing impairments congenital and acquired. A child who is hard of hearing also has a speech delay. Therefore, such children do not respond well to the name, fulfill requests and may seem naughty. In this regard, parents may suspect autism in children. But a professional psychiatrist will definitely send the baby for an examination of auditory function. Hearing aid is a way out of the situation.

Schizophrenia

Autism was previously considered one of the manifestations of schizophrenia in children. However, it is now clear that these are two completely different diseases. Schizophrenia in children begins later - at 5-7 years. The symptoms of this disease appear gradually. Such children have obsessive fears, conversations with themselves, later delusions and hallucinations appear. The treatment for this condition is medical.

Famous people with autism

History knows many cases when autistic people become famous people due to its features. A non-standard vision of objects and phenomena helps them create masterpieces of art, invent unique devices. World lists are regularly updated with new autistic personalities. The most famous autists: scientist Albert Einstein, computer genius Bill Gates.

Video

Ivan is 20 years old. He speaks little and reluctantly. He stays at home all the time and has no friends. Ivan's favorite hobby is to lay out cubes and other small objects in an order known only to him. He can do this for hours.

Ivan does not like changes in his life - he always eats from the same plate, goes for a walk to the same place, does not like guests, does not like when dad or mom go somewhere - he protests and demands to return. Falls into hysterics if houses rearrange furniture, buy something new.

Ivan has been autistic since childhood. What does this term mean?

The term "autism" was coined by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1910. The basis of this word is the Greek "αὐτός", which means "himself" in translation. With this concept, the psychiatrist designated “the autistic withdrawal of the patient into the world of his own fantasies, any external influence which is perceived as unbearable intrusiveness.

In short, autism is characterized by a lack of interaction with society, limited interests and stereotypical movements.

What causes autism?

Scientists have not yet come to a consensus on this matter. Some believe that the occurrence of autism is due to a gene mutation, others - a failure in the development of the embryo in the period from 20 to 40 days of pregnancy. Such a failure, according to scientists, is due to bad habits pregnant women.

How does autism develop?

Such a disease makes itself felt in the first three years of a child's development. Children do not talk for a long time, do not pay attention to others, do not look into the eyes. They may have difficulty developing motor skills - waddling gait, hand holding in an unusual way, coordination of movements may be impaired. They do not notice the emotions of others, it is difficult for them express your emotions.

If you notice the disease in time and start treatment, in adulthood it will be easier for such people to interact with the outside world.

Studies by British scientists have shown that autism in one way or another occurs in every hundredth adult.

Classification of adult autism

The first group includes practical terminally ill. They do not interact with the outside world, they live in their own world, access to which is closed to everyone. They are unable to speak. Level them intellectual development- short. They do not know how to serve themselves, they constantly need outside help and attention. They should never be left alone.

The second group includes closed patients. They can talk (but have problems with speech) and can communicate with others on strictly defined topics. The content of their conversation may seem absurd and illogical to ordinary people, “as if from the world of fantasy”, etc.

Such people can sit for hours doing what they love, forgetting about food, sleep and natural needs. They do not like innovations, they actively, sometimes aggressively, protest against any changes (for example, parents change the wallpaper). Their movements are monotonous and monotonous.

The third group includes b solo, with certain skills and abilities. They do not accept the views of society. They can communicate with others, but they do not pay attention to anyone.

The fourth group includes people who are difficult to distinguish from the usual mass. They are smart, but not independent, they cannot make decisions, they give in to problems, they are overly touchy. Obedient, follow the rules. Select such autists among ordinary people only a psychiatrist can.

The fifth group includes people whose intelligence is above average and high. Scientists believe that autism with high intelligence leads to genius. There are many talented people among them. Such autistic people realize themselves perfectly in mathematics, physics, programming, and writing.

Which celebrity has autism?

Autism and celebrities

It is believed that many scientists in one way or another suffered from autism. For example, Albert Einstein was a lonely child, did not speak for a long time, threw tantrums at any changes, mindlessly repeated sentences uttered by others until the age of seven (by the way, echolalia - uncontrolled automatic repetition of words heard in someone else's speech - one of the symptoms of autism).

Isaac Newton was so absorbed in his favorite pastime that he forgot about food and sleep. He was practically indifferent to his few friends, and sometimes even intolerant of them. He loved his science so much that if none of the students came to his classes, he lectured in front of an empty audience.

Other characteristics of autistics

Autism in adults: life difficulties

They find it difficult to learn non-verbal skills of social interaction. For example, normal children can understand and repeat gestures and facial expressions already at a young age, while autistic children cannot learn non-verbal. They do not look a person in the eye or look at a person as an inanimate object. It is difficult for them to share joy, grief and other feelings with the interlocutor, which is why they seem cold and insensitive to outsiders.
They differ in limited sets of interests.
Persistently follow specific, impractical rituals (for example, when traveling in a car, be sure to ask to pass through the same fountain, even if it is not on the way).
Autistic people are distinguished by stereotyped movements (twirl their fingers, palms, slam their palms on the table, make aimless strange movements with their bodies).
They have a delay cognitive development may lack self-care skills.

Life difficulties of patients with autism

Autistic people with average and above average intelligence are characterized by such qualities as egocentrism (centered on oneself) with little or no desire to communicate with peers. Thus, they can easily fall out of the team, become outcasts. They can choose to communicate with one or two people about whom they have a high opinion

Due to underdeveloped speech skills, the inability to perceive conflicts and adequately respond to mistreatment, autistic patients often become victims of bullies and bullies - both in adolescence and in adulthood.

Autistic people are distinguished by social naivety, truthfulness, they feel embarrassed when making comments. Therefore, many brazenly "use" such people for their own good.

Because people with Blaler's disease find it difficult to learn social norms, they may inadvertently offend another, further alienating members of the group.

Patients do not recognize “sign language”, they cannot read “between the lines”, therefore they do not understand others well or understand literally, for example, having heard the phrase “Call at any time”, they can call at 3 o’clock in the morning. For the same reason, humor is not understood or difficult to understand.

Autistic people do not feel bodily boundaries, they can hang over the interlocutor, causing irritation in him.

In their hobbies, people with autism can be very talented and have valuable knowledge. Due to the inability to communicate, to properly present themselves, due to the inability to present valuable information, they are unrecognized, "burying their talent in the ground."

Many intelligent autistic individuals seek romantic relationships but stumble upon a lack of social knowledge. They can see what everyone around is talking about love, but do not understand that they themselves must feel what this feeling looks like? They have nothing to compare it with, since most have no attachment to other people.

They do not understand the gestures that accompany romance. They are not interested in kissing, as they do not see any benefit in it. They perceive hugs as an incomprehensible attempt to limit movement. They may experience sexual feelings, but since autistic people have few friends, they have no one to discuss their desires with, no one to get information from.

Therefore, often in a courtship situation, they take their knowledge from the movies. Autistic men like to act like pompous macho or theatrical heartthrobs, and after watching porn movies, they can act like rapists. Autistic girls take their knowledge from soap operas without realizing that such behavior does not correspond to modern life. As a result, they become victims of violence.

How to help adults with autism?

If an autistic person has a severe form of the disease close people should be provided with care and medical care for the sick throughout their lives. You also need to choose a program for which the patient will be engaged.

Autistic people with milder disease need remedial classes in which, with the help of intelligence, they can learn social norms - for example, to say hello when meeting, nod their head in agreement, learn to express their feelings, ask the interlocutor about his feelings, not be afraid of strangers. And since many autistic people can work, they are taught social skills in a work environment.

Behavioral psychotherapy, homeopathy and diets are used in the treatment.

Olga VOSTOCHNAYA,
psychologist

Autism is a common developmental disorder and typically manifests itself during the first three years of a child's life. Very often we hear about childhood autism or early childhood autism. It is worth remembering, however, that children diagnosed on the autism spectrum become adults with autism. Children who show symptoms of autism at the age of 5-6 years are diagnosed - autistic autism.

However, in adults who behave strangely and have problems in social relationships, psychiatrists are very reluctant to recognize autism. The problems of adults, despite the lack of relevant research on autism, are trying to be justified in a different way and look for a different diagnosis. Often, adult autistics are considered eccentrics, people with an unusual type of thinking.

Symptoms of autism in adults

Autism is a mysterious disease, with a very complex and difficult diagnosis, with largely unknown causes. Autism is not mental illness as some people think. Autism Spectrum Disorders- This nervous disorders biologically determined, in which psychological problems are of a secondary nature.

What is autism? It causes difficulties in perceiving the world, problems in social relationships, learning and communicating with others. Each autistic person may have symptoms of varying intensity.

More often people with autism show disturbances of perception, differently feel a touch, differently perceive sounds and images. They may be hypersensitive to noise, smells, and light. They often show less sensitivity to pain.

Another way of seeing the world makes it so that autistic people create their own inner world– a world that only they can understand.

The main problems of people with autism include:

problems with the realization of connections and feelings;
difficulty expressing one's emotions and interpreting the emotions expressed by others;
inability to read non-verbal messages;
communication problems;
avoid contact with eyes;
prefer immutability environment, do not change.

people with autism have specific disorders speech. IN extreme cases autistic people do not speak at all or start talking very late. understand words only in literally. They are not able to catch the meaning of jokes, allusions, irony, sarcasm, metaphor, which makes socialization very difficult.

Many people with autism speak in ways that are inappropriate to the context of the situation, despite the fact that the environment, in general, listens to them. Their words are uncolored or very formal. Some use stereotypical forms of communication or speak as if they were reading a manual. Autistic people have difficulty initiating conversations. Attach too great importance some words are overused in such a way that their language becomes stereotyped.

In childhood, problems often arise with the appropriate use of pronouns (I, he, you, we, you). While others exhibit pronunciation problems, have irregular voice intonation, speak too fast or in monotone, underline words poorly, “swallow” sounds, whisper under their breath, etc.

In some people, autism spectrum disorders are manifested by obsessive interests, often very specific, rote memory abilities certain information(e.g. birthdays famous people, registration numbers vehicles, bus timetables).

For others, autism may manifest itself as a desire to order the world, to bring the entire environment to certain and unchanging patterns. Each "surprise", as a rule, causes fear and aggression.

Autism is also a lack of flexibility, stereotyped behavior patterns, impaired social interaction, difficulty adapting to standards, egocentrism, poor body language or sensory integration disorders.

It is difficult to standardize the characteristics of an adult with autism. However, it is important that the number of cases of autism is growing from year to year, and at the same time, many patients remain undiagnosed, if only because of poor diagnosis autism.

Rehabilitation of people with autism

Typically, autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in children. preschool age or in early childhood. However, it happens that the symptoms of the disease are very mild and such a person lives, for example, with Asperger's syndrome until adulthood, learning about the disease very late or not knowing at all.

It is estimated that more than ⅓ of adults with Asperger's syndrome have never been diagnosed. Unconscious illness creates many problems for adult autistic people in social, family and professional life. They face discrimination, treated as unreasonable, arrogant, strange. To ensure a minimum level of a sense of security, they avoid contacts, prefer loneliness.

Against the background of disorders from autism, other mental problems may develop, for example, depression, mood disorders, excessive sensitivity. If left untreated, autism in adults often makes it difficult or even impossible to live independently. Autistic people are not able to adequately express emotions, do not know how to think in the abstract, and are distinguished by their high degree of tension and low level of interpersonal skills.

At the National Autism Society, as well as other organizations that provide care for patients with autism, patients can participate in rehabilitation classes that reduce anxiety and increase physical and mental form, cause an increase in concentration of attention, teach involvement in public life. These are, in particular: theater classes, speech therapy, tailoring and tailoring classes, film therapy, hydrotherapy, music therapy.

Autism cannot be cured, but the sooner treatment is started, the better. better results treatment. IN special schools adolescents with autism are more likely to fulfill themselves in life. Classes in these schools include: social skills training, improving independence in actions, self-service, learning to plan activities.

Level functioning of adults with autism varies depending on the form of the disease. People with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome can do well in social life - have a job, start a family.

In some countries, special protected group apartments are created for adults with autism, in which patients can count on the help of permanent guardians, but at the same time this does not deprive them of the right to independence. Unfortunately, people with profound autistic disabilities, which are often associated with other illnesses like epilepsy or food allergies, are unable to live on their own.

Many adults with autism do not leave the house, being under the care of their loved ones. Unfortunately, some parents are overprotective of their sick children, thereby causing them even more harm.

Treatment of autism in adults

Autism is an incurable disease, but intensive and early treatment can correct a lot. top scores gives behavioral therapy, which leads to changes in functioning, develops the ability to contact with others, learns to cope with actions in everyday life.

People with more severe forms of autism who are under the care of a psychiatrist may benefit from symptomatic pharmacotherapy. Only a doctor can determine which drugs and psychotropic substances a patient should take.

For some it will psychostimulant drugs to deal with impaired concentration. Others will benefit from serotonin and sertraline reuptake inhibitors, which improve mood, increase self-esteem, and reduce the desire for repetitive behavior.

With the help of propranolol, you can reduce the number of outbreaks of aggression. Risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine are used in the treatment of psychotic disorders: obsessive behavior and self-harm. In turn, buspirone is recommended in case of excessive activity and stereotypic movements.

Some patients require the appointment of antiepileptic drugs, mood stabilizers. Medications allow only symptomatic treatment. In order to improve the functioning of an autistic person in society, psychotherapy is needed.

It is worth remembering that large group people with mild autistic disorders are educated people. Among them there are even outstanding scientists and artists of various talents who represent the features of savants.

psychology:

How old was your son when he was diagnosed with autism?

Dina Gassner:

A little over three. He was also diagnosed mental retardation(now in the US we say "intellectual disability"). In fact, he was always smarter than it turned out according to the tests, it was just that the specialists could not establish contact with him. The specialist who first received positive results IQ test with my son, first two meetings in a row discussed video games with him. They sat on the floor in his office, and the psychologist showed Patrick how to get on next level one game. It was just some kind of magic - my son believed that this uncle wanted him to succeed, and his results were quite high.

What was your first reaction to your son's diagnosis?

You know, I guess the fact that I'm autistic myself was more of an advantage than a problem. I didn’t get depressed, but immediately began to act. I know that many neurotypical (that is, ordinary, without autistic traits. - Approx. ed.) parents are immersed in the Internet, intimidate themselves, spend days and months mourning a child. I didn't have anything like that.

Now, if you asked me about my emotions not in relation to the diagnosis, but in relation to the education system with which we had to fight, this is a completely different story. I was told that Patrick required "too many" resources and that he was not "promising" enough to spend those resources on him. This is where I really cried for hours.

In Russia, sometimes it is believed that in the US everything is just perfect in relation to autism. Turns out it's not?

My husband and I have been married for 22 years. When my daughter, our oldest child, left for college and my son was 10, I left my husband. Only to find better services for my son. Over the course of five years, Patrick and I moved four times from city to city to find the help he needed.

There is knowledge about autism in the United States, there are resources, but they are distributed very unevenly. Lucky parents prefer to keep quiet about it so everyone doesn't move to their school.

In the US, the education system generally recognizes that it should support children with autism, but in Russia, as I understand it, the state does not believe that it is worth spending money from the budget on autism. But we are far from perfect.

Sometimes schools simply state that they don't have money for additional services for children with autism. But this is also a matter of priorities: if you have enough money for a baseball field, then you have the financial capacity to provide an education for every child. It's just that the field is more important to you. So there is knowledge about autism in the United States, there are resources, but they are distributed very unevenly. Parents who are fortunate tend to keep quiet about what services their children receive.

And what is this help? Does it include applied behavior analysis?

It's not always the same. If Asperger's Syndrome is diagnosed at two or three years old, then the child will most likely not be treated with Applied Behavior Analysis. Well, if the child severe manifestations autism, no speech at all, if he has a lot of unwanted behaviors, his parents will seek an intensive behavioral therapy program (40 hours a week). Not every educational complex can offer something like this, therefore, as a rule, such parents either begin to fight the system or are forced to move.

Your son studied at general education school Or in correction?

From the very beginning, we believed that our son needed full inclusion, which means a regular school. But Patrick needed extra help. Someone had to take notes for him, take dictation for him, adapt working materials.

The school where the son studies has adapted educational materials provided him with a mentor. He even played on the school's hockey team, and I became the manager of that team.

For example, instead of detailed answers in the control, he had to do a test with a choice of various options answer or make sentences from ready-made words. As soon as we achieved such a rating system, his abilities immediately began to manifest themselves in a new way. But they still wanted to transfer him to correctional school. One school simply changed his curriculum from general education to remedial and declared that he would not be allowed to take his matriculation exams. We turned to lawyers to cancel this decision.

And what is the child himself at school in such a conflict situation?

I'm still amazed that, despite all the chaos I tried to deal with, Patrick calmly attended all the classes every day and continued to study, as if he had some kind of "protective bubble". He never realized that his experience at school was very different from that of other children. I believe that it was this factor that protected him from low self-esteem and low results.

In addition, the last five years at school (he was given an extra year to study in high school) he had just excellent academic performance. Because this school adapted the teaching materials and provided him with the support of a tutor (mentor). He even played on the school's hockey team, and I became the manager of that team. He made friends, he still communicates on Facebook with former classmates.

What happened after school?

At first he was in a special program at a local college, and the next year we enrolled him at Marshall University in West Virginia. It is the university with the oldest student support program in the country. It is very difficult to get there, every year they accept only 10-11 students.

One student needs near-constant social support, yet progresses through the academic program with ease, while another student may have sleep problems causing them to miss classes.

In total, there are about 40 children in this program. There are personalized services. One student will need near-constant social support, yet progress through the academic program with ease, while another student may have sleep problems causing them to miss classes.

My son, for example, will never miss a lecture, but if he needs to ask the teacher about his scores or find out the details of the assignment, someone should go with him, he cannot do it alone. At first, Patrick could not ask teachers even the most basic questions.

Did he live on campus on his own or did you live with him?

For the first two years, I moved to live next to his hostel, on weekends he sometimes came home, but gradually learned to live on his own, began to wash his own clothes and the like. He had three levels of support. First, a special program for students with autism, which helped him understand the structure of the university, communicate with teachers and fellow students.

Secondly, there is an assistance service for students with disabilities (there is one in every university), which, for example, takes care of taking notes. Finally, there is a third level of support provided by the state - rehabilitation. It includes, in particular, extra classes with a tutor and a laptop with software who read texts aloud.

In December 2017, Patrick should receive a bachelor's degree. When he comes to me next week during the holidays, we will attend a kind of "rehearsal" of interviews, that is, learn how to pass job interviews. If you had asked me when he was three years old if I hoped that he would receive a high school diploma, I would most likely answer: "No." And that he went to college - I could not imagine this at all.

We dreamed that by the age of forty he would be able to live alone, if a housekeeper came to him, and his sister would take care of his accounts. And now he is 28 - and he can already live completely independently.

What is his life made up of?

He did such a good job of living in a university dormitory that I returned to New York and enrolled in graduate school. And Patrick moved out of the hostel into a tiny one-room apartment, he does his shopping, walks around the city, goes to bookstores, cinemas, restaurants.

Recently, one of the most amazing changes took place in my son's life thanks to computer program, which "reads" the text for it. It lights up each word so he can see and hear each word at the same time.

Recently, one of the most amazing changes in his life took place - thanks to a computer program that "reads" the text for him. It highlights each word so that he sees and hears each word separately at the same time, without losing the place where he left off. And for the first time he had a desire to read for his own pleasure, already without a computer!

Neurotypical children can read at this level at about 9 years old, but for him this is a giant progress. It is believed that if a child has not learned to read by a certain age, then he will never learn it, but my son disproved this myth.

You mentioned that you also have an autism diagnosis. Looking at your son, did you find in him a resemblance to yourself and decided, as they say, to "check"?

The fact is that the manifestations of autism in my son were practically nothing like mine. Everything was exactly the opposite! As a child, I had hyperlexia, that is, I learned to read on my own very early. I was very smart, I dreamed of becoming a scientist, although with mathematics I was doing very badly.

When I was eight years old, my younger sister died in a car accident. In middle school, I was sexually abused by a family member and then similarly abused in a church. These were severe injuries, but whether this is related to autism is difficult to judge.

My son's manifestations of autism were almost nothing like mine. Everything was exactly the opposite! As a child, I had hyperlexia, that is, I learned to read on my own very early.

A huge role in my life was played by the meeting with Lian Holliday Willey, who wrote the book "Pretending to be normal." Our experience had a lot in common! For the first time, I began to think that I, too, might have an autism spectrum disorder.

And at the age of 38, I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, although they had previously found bipolar affective disorder. As a result, I had to "get off" a whole ton of drugs that I took, and it was very hard. There were also losses. For example, despite the problems with mathematics, I had the ability to easily and in huge number memorize long and complex numbers. I can't do that anymore. But maybe it's age. I'm 58 years old.

Has your life changed because of your own diagnosis?

It is important to be aware of your limitations and not see them as character flaws. I have good example. In graduate school, I study statistics. At the same time, in childhood, violence against me was committed by a person who also studied mathematics with me. It wasn't until I was 50 that I was able to enter a math class without experiencing panic attack. And then it dawned on me: I didn’t understand the equations because of that mental trauma!

And then I realized who and what you can ask for in order to succeed. I began to conduct quantitative statistical studies, corrected them with the teacher, then did it again. In the summer I studied with a tutor - in a word, I worked more than anyone else. I really wanted to pass my math exam! And I passed it along with others.

How did you get the idea to write and talk about people with autism?

In college, I performed in amateur productions, and then worked as a sales manager and conducted training for salespeople. So I was never afraid of a large audience. In doing so, I also had a unique opportunity to understand what goes on in the mind of a person with autism.

Our goal is to get our son a job at the museum. My daughter invites me to live with her in Kentucky, but not in this state. social support which Patrick needs. And if we move there, I'll have to become his "social program" again.

I began speaking at autism hearings both in Washington DC and in my home state. But then it was not up to that, I completely took up my son. And only when the situation more or less normalized, I again began to take an active part in social work. On the other hand, I never stopped writing articles, doing my personal development and learning.

What are your and Patrick's immediate plans?

I need to pass the remaining subjects in the doctoral program, then write a dissertation. If everything works out, I will stay in New York, and my son will move here, he wants to live in this city. I so hope he can find a job!

Our goal is his work in the museum. My daughter invites me to live with her and her grandson in Kentucky, but that state doesn't have the social support Patrick needs. And if we move there, then I will have to become his “social program” again, and this will be a huge step back for both of us. In addition, he now has navigation skills, he perfectly uses public transport, so it will be easy for him in New York. By the way, I think he will like it in Moscow. I hope someday I will be able to come to Russia again, already with him.

The publication was prepared jointly with the Vykhod Foundation.

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About the expert

Social worker, creator and program director of the Center for Understanding (USA). Specializes in supporting adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities and autism. Member of the Board of Trustees of the Autism Society of America and the National Organization for People with Intellectual Disabilities. She has given presentations at the National Autism Society of Scotland, the UN headquarters in Geneva, as well as the University of Cambridge and the University of Birmingham.