Newswise — “What is it like, socially?” “Will I be able to keep myself organized and follow my schedule?” “What are the best colleges for students like me?” “Where can I turn if I need support?” “How do I know if I’m ready?”
These questions might be heard from any student feeling anxious about the decision to head to college, but for teens on the autism spectrum—and for their families—these questions can be especially fraught. Last Monday, a packed house of more than 200 young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their parents and autism support professionals gathered for a free, half-day presentation and Q&A panel hosted by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Autism Research (CAR) to support families on the brink of this important transition.
“Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifetime condition. It can be overwhelming to think of all the things you can do to help your loved one (or yourself) from the time of diagnosis, all the way through adulthood,” said Robert Schultz, Ph.D., director of the Center for Autism Research, a multi-disciplinary center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and The University of Pennsylvania. “In addition to looking at the underlying causes and interventions for autism during childhood, it’s our goal at CAR to continue to provide practical education and evidence-based guidance to help individuals with autism to lead productive and independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible.”
Since 2008, CAR has sponsored a series of events, lectures and workshops designed to aid individuals with ASD, their families, and professionals supporting them with the transition to adulthood. Among the panelists and speakers at Monday’s event were college administrators and researchers specializing in higher education for students on the autism spectrum; psychologists who counsel families on helping teens with ASD move toward a more independent adulthood; and students with ASD who are currently enrolled in college or graduate school, as well as peer mentors.
“Families of children with autism spectrum disorder become accustomed to a reliable structure and support system throughout their childhood,” said Debra Dunn, Esq., outreach consultant with CAR and the parent of a college student with ASD. “As the family starts to prepare for life beyond high school, it gets complicated. Whether or not they’re leaving home, your children are preparing for a more independent adulthood. It takes a lot of preparation and practice to help them be autonomous, while knowing where to turn for support.”
Anthony Rostain, M.D., a CAR faculty member and Penn/CHOP doctor who specializes in improving clinical outcomes, said that in terms of being ready for college, “there is no single path to success. The most important message we need our youth to hear is, if you go down one path and it doesn’t work for you, there’s another path.” Rostain added, “The family as a whole needs to be ready for the launch. The whole family needs to talk about what the expectations are; and if your son or daughter isn’t willing to let go, maybe it’s not time to go.”
Student and adult panelists agreed that, for students not ready to make the immediate transition to a four-year college, community college or an associate’s degree can be an excellent choice. In fact, said panelist and keynote speaker Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D., community colleges have twice as many students on the autism spectrum as do four-year institutions. Dr. Brown is the director of College Autism Spectrum, an independent organization of professionals whose purpose is to assist students with ASD and their families.“I think that’s really important to know, because I know a lot of our students sometimes dismiss the idea of community college,” said Brown, who is also Director of Student Services at the University of Connecticut School of Law. “For many students on the spectrum, it really is the perfect place to start. So I really encourage people to look at community college options because as you’re hearing from the panelists today so eloquently, often that is the pathway to success.”Andrew Taylor, a student with ASD currently studying at Temple University, agreed, explaining that he started out at a four-year college in Philadelphia, “but it was too much. I switched to Community College of Philadelphia to take it easy and to start over. After I got my Associate of Arts from there, I went back to a nearby four-year college, and… it all fell into place.”
A second student panelist, Bobby Strauss, recommended that sleep-away camps during middle school and high school can be very helpful for students with ASD and their parents to become accustomed to being away from home, many years before the decision about college comes into play. The web site CARautismroadmap.org has a resource directory which lists a number of options for camps for youth on the spectrum.
In addition to the panel presentation and Brown’s keynote address, “Transition and College Students on the Spectrum,” the day included a research briefing from Edward S. Brodkin, M.D., a CAR faculty member and director of the Adult Autism Spectrum Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Brodkin and other CAR faculty are currently studying treatment programs that support a more autonomous adulthood for people with ASD. He described a new CAR study that focuses on enhancing social understanding and social skills for adults with ASD, so that they can gain confidence to successfully navigate the social necessities of adult life.
The four-hour session was one of an ongoing series of events CAR hosts for parents and families navigating an autism diagnosis, from early childhood through adulthood. To learn more about upcoming CAR events and workshops for families, visit http://www.centerforautismresearch.com/events/.
These forums and workshops are made possible by generous donor support for the Center for Autism Research. To support CAR in providing more of these forums on issues affecting families with ASD, visit https://give.chop.edu/page/contribute/autism-integrated-care-and-research.
In addition to lectures and workshops, CAR has created CARautismroadmap.org, a comprehensive, one-stop web site to help families navigate accurate, up-to-date information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The web site provides families customized information based on what they need- whether their child has just been diagnosed, or they’ve hit an obstacle and are looking for new ideas and resources. There are more than a dozen articles within the CAR Autism Roadmap™ related to transitioning from high school to post-secondary education, as well as a Resource Directory including listings of college autism support programs and area professionals and organizations, searchable by zip code, who assist families with college transition issues.
About The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation’s first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children’s Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 535-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit www.chop.edu.
About The Center for Autism Research: The Center for Autism Research (CAR) is a multidisciplinary center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania that coordinates and supports research on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). CAR’s goals are to identify the neurobiological, environmental, and genetic causes of ASD and to develop effective treatments. In addition to its research mission, CAR is committed to supporting families and communities affected by ASD, providing education, service guidance, and extensive diagnostic and development evaluations free of charge through its research protocols. CAR also hosts AutismMatch, a research registry connecting families to autism research studies at CAR and elsewhere. It also hosts carautismroadmap.org, a comprehensive, one-stop web site to help families navigate accurate, up-to-date information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Complete information about all of CAR’s programs is available at www.centerforautismresearch.com.
RSS