To ask if you have autism and work?

[anon33]

Just received an autism diagnosis for DD10. Autism rather than Asperger's as she had a significant speech delay before 3 (which the paed told me is what is the defining factor between the two) but she described it as "Asperger's presentation. Social skills quite poor, stereotypical movements, general lack of interest in others.

It was all positive until the paed started talking about post 16 education. She suggested that DD could attend a local college with a special ASD class, do some woodwork and an animal course...... Nothing wrong with either of these, but she has no interest in either! It also made me sad that there was no aspiration for further/higher education.

Was watching a program (I think Born Naughty) which touched on ASD and the Dr said only 15% of adults with autism work full time.

I recall quite a few threads here where posters have said they have ASD, so was wondering if/what you do?

Thanks in advance

She has totally improved at her school.

I have a relative with aspergers. He has a degree in physics and is working for his accountancy qualifications.

I have very recently had some discussions about this very subject. My DS (aged four) has recently been diagnosed with ASD (Aspergers). It is also clear to me now that his father is autistic (although we are now apart). I totally recognise Crabby's description of her DD's father, my husband was very similar, self-employed, working obsessively one minute, sleeping continuously the next. Couldn't finish anything or would be completely obsessed with one thing for a long period before moving onto the next obsession. I would say he has had a completely frenetic lifestyle, working or not. Also, highly unacceptable social behaviour on occasions and the inability to see it OR it was always somebody else's fault. This does give me some cause for concern with my DS, although I would describe him as highly communicative and high functioning, he does have a lot of other issues. He is in mainstream school and I expect him to continue his education thus. I have high hopes that he will be able to have a higher education with the right guidance and support and certainly, OP, I think you mustn't worry too much now. Your daughter will change a lot and there is a lot you can do to help. There are a lot of very successful autistic individuals around and I really hate the thought that anybody would write my DS off at such an early stage. Wishing you and your DD lots of luck!

Myself and DD's dad both have Asperger's. We both struggle socially and have some communication issues but both have always worked. His 'solution' has been to stay in the same job with the same routine all his life. I'm also diagnosed ADD and have found settling in anything hard for five minutes so I've moved around a lot of different jobs. Diagnosis as an adult helped me to construct a better lifestyle for myself which includes working from home full time. I have a first class degree; DD's dad is smart at his own interests but has no interest in acadaemia. FWIW I'd say take each day as it comes, no point worrying too much about the future as your daughter will pick her own passions and interests and it'll all become apparent.

Am in HR and spend a large amount of time wondering who has ASD aspergers autism, not just in a glib way- it's really common especially as pp's say- a generation or two ago it just wasn't diagnosed unless it was extreme.
There's loads of working age people who either keep diagnosis quiet, or have never been formally assessed, or who only get assessed due to issues at work leading to assessment.
The future of work is heading to work from home, computers etc and that sort of minimal interaction and controlled environment suits many people, not just those with ASD. Things are better now than ever before for your dd! And yes people with ASD can be excellent workers if only NT's put in a bit of effort in organising themselves, the work and the environment, which would also benefit the NT's

You know what they say - there are lies, damn lies and statistics.

Firstly - what proportion of adults without Autism work full time? I don't work full time as I like to balance mummy and work. Not sure if dh would count as full time as he finishes early one day a week to pick up did. My BIL didn't until recently as he was an international sportsman. My sil is a SAHM. My other sil has a back injury so hasn't worked for years. My nephew is balancing work and study. My in laws and parents are retired. My cousin is a talented musician (but not quite enough to make it professionally) so spent one day a week on his compositions. All of us are NT as far as I know.

Secondly what proportion of 50 year olds have an autism diagnosis? I suspect much lower than 15 year olds. Which means that only those at the extreme end of the spectrum were diagnosed.

Finally, 40 years ago what support was available for a ten year old with autism? I suspect a lot less than there is now.

Without decent answers to these questions that 15% figure is meaningless.

I'd be far more interested in "What proportion of 18 - 25 year olds with autism are either in work or Higher education?" And compare that to -8 - 25 year olds without autism.

This is long, but:
DS recently received an Asperger's diagnosis, and in the massive reading I've been doing lately it's become glaringly obvious that my whole family is on the spectrum, at least one grandparent, my father, myself, and both siblings - one reason that it took us a while to even start pursuing a diagnosis with DS was because everything he did seemed so normal to us!

All except for DS are of generations where this was not diagnosed. Just as I would have a couple of years back, they might consider themselves a bit non-mainstream, but autistic would never cross their minds. And we've all held down jobs, though with probably a bit more chopping and changing of careers than would be considered the norm.

Grandfather - started off polishing floors. Later many, many niche jobs that didn't really involve contact with others, such as film projectionist and gemstone polisher.

Father - electrical engineer. His lack of social skills meant that he did not follow the usual promotional pattern - was stuck in the same position for 25 years, then got promoted in a precipitous manner, due to his unusual skills, to PA of the electricity company chairman and finished up as a regional director of the same company. Since he retired he's been running a radio station that broadcasts classical music (his obsession).

Brother 1: degrees in engineering and IT. Worked for various companies, often trouble-shooting other peoples' errors. Currently self employed and works from home in a job that uses both the degrees he studied for.

Brother 2: graphic designer. Worked for lots of different companies. Currently self employed and works from home. Makes pots of money. He would perhaps be the most 'autistic' rather than 'Asperger' in that he didn't speak at all until he was three. And it might be a comfort to you to know that it wasn't until his last year of school that it became apparent he had any particular talent or desire to work in any particular field.

Me: basic obsession started off as languages. Several of them. Started off as a high school teacher, but found the social interaction required very hard going (and remembering the names and faces of the students. Hopeless...). Went back to uni. Now have a PhD, but am self employed and work from home (sensing a pattern here? translating technical material from Japanese).

I was diagnosed with Aspergers as an adult. My 'special interests' have always been in history and I went on to do a degree in History of Art and now work from home as a historian and novelist which means that I can revel in my obsessions to my heart's content and get paid for it! I really struggled with working in office environments and gave up work over ten years ago to work for myself, which suits me much better.

One of my sons has just been diagnosed with AS as well and we're encouraging him to think outside the box when it comes to future careers as we anticipate him being similarly unsuited to office type environments although he's academically doing very well. I envy him tbh as he won't struggle in the way that my husband (also AS and works in IT) and I did as people (with the possible exception of the OP's GP!) seem much more understanding and clued up about AS now than they did when we were growing up.

I have very probable autism, halfway through official diagnostic process. I dont work, but thats because of my physical health problems. A lot of people with autism have comorbid conditions, which will skew the stats.

Former academic, now working for the military.

I have seven degrees and am thinking of doing a second PhD.

If anyone is offended by a minor boast, please look away now. I have never had any kind of support and my former employer bullied me to the extent that I ended up being diagnosed with PTSD. However, I have a great job now that I love and where I am treated with kindness and courtesy. I did it the hard way - through sheer force of will and hard work.

OK. End boast!

I'm autistic. I used to work in financial services but not currently working as I emigrated with DH and am still learning the language.

My DD is autistic and is in her second year of a languages teaching degree. She appears to have inherited my share of ability to learn languages as she picks them up in her sleep, it appears.

My DH is also autistic and had a severe language delay as a child. He's a serious nerd professor of nuclear chemistry.

I have ASD and work full time,I don't have a boss I do have staff but I tend to avoid them as I annoy them rather a lot.

The only accomadation that I really need is to have someone moniter my communications as I unsupervised can be a bit of a dick,and I need to be reminded where I am meant to be and when

I'm autistic and working. It did make interviews difficult but I got there in the end.

Statistics about proportion of autistic people who work are not very reassuring but I suspect flawed by fact that those who work are more likely to go undiagnosed.

I have deliberately avoided Born Naughty as my 7 year old DD is waiting for the start of the screening process for ASD/ADHD whatever. Saw a Paed last September who flagged sensory issues. Huge shock to me although it is starting to explain a lot about my own difficulties through childhood and anxiety levels as an adult.

My DD had no language delay and seemed like a confident, outgoing, 'normal' preschooler although sleep always difficult to achieve and noise sensitivity an issue. School is exhausting her and she has had meltdowns since foundation. She is really bright but struggles to follow instructions without a reassuring adult near by.

Thank you so much for all the positive posts. I'm struggling myself with DD's issues at the moment and due to my own anxiety I keep scanning ahead for disaster. I honestly believe my DD has a huge amount to offer if dealt with sensitively and given the opportunity for time out as required.

Scone I think Born Naughty, despite the awful title, is very well done. Minimal sensationalism and a lot of sensitivity.

I'm probably not in the best frame of mind to answer this atm, tbh.

A decade ago I would have said that I was doing well working ft in an above average income career job. I'd graduated and progressed up the career ladder. Owned own home, had dc. Etc. looked successful, felt successful

But it all fell apart.

I haven't had a paid job for several years. I'm useless at interviews. I can be good at the job but really struggle with office politics/relationships with colleagues. I've walked out of loads of jobs for spurious reasons like avoiding conflict. I can't handle 'constructive' criticism. I don't 'get' jokes and don't have much facial expression so co workers think I'm a misery guts who doesn't like them. I've even been banished to a cupboard room to myself when staff have complained to their manager about me. I've barely ever had a job that hasn't had me out in my car alone at lunchtime crying.

And I'm not even diagnosed! (High iq, no speech delay) so on paper I'm 'high functioning' but life just hasn't turned out as expected.

As for other poss/prob asd family members:

DS I think will be fine. He'll need something that doesn't involve much teamwork but his focus and ability at maths etc should get him a good job. I'd recommend he do a degree with a lot of contact hours to maintain a routine similar to school.

DF did a manual/technical job where he was out and about alone until he was made redundant in the 80s. He wouldn't have progressed as he isn't capable of managing staff. He then got a job where he was duped by a con man (naivety). My parents then ran a business where he did odd jobs/book keeping lived off dm's hard work. After they sold that he declared he wasn't capable of being an employee again so never properly worked again beyond age 56.

DM had a good job she trained for and worked up ranks and stayed at for 16+ years (out earned DF). Then had own business where she worked herself to the bone. Burned out after 10 years. Then did pt min wage job to keep herself busy/get out of the house for a year or 2. Then got her first ever office job (pt) where she kept out of office chat and was out and about a lot. She got sick and quit because she was too conscientious to take a sick day! Then a bit of freelance work that 'didn't involve office politics' before going permanently off sick (not related to asd) at age 57. So spent a few years 'on benefits' before hitting retirement age.

So overall it's a mixed bag of fortunes.

I'm a mild Aspie. Not officially diagnosed, but had it confirmed by a psychologist.

I topped my college, hold 2 degrees, 2 vocational certifications and currently doing a Grad Cert. I . I've been in full and part-time employment, including a very stressful job full of interaction in an open plan office and with travel involved. I've lived in 3 countries and speak 4 languages.

None of this has been easy, but the great thing about Aspies is their resilience.

I, too, had a slight reading delay as a kid. Once I did master it - I started kicking butt academically. If a learning delay is the only thing that tipped your DD into autism rather than Aspergers, there's no need to panic yet.

I'm diagnosed with HFA and ADHD. I'm a teacher.

I'm high functioning autistic and have worked in some really good desirable jobs and now I run my own business.
It's not held me back but I do have excellent masking skills which have definitely helped.

My son has Aspergers, he has completed his degree and is now in training as an accountant. He struggles in some areas, he finds office structures difficult to comprehend and has been "warned" about his tone of voice ( he can sound very condescending at times!) but he is coping!

Have to add though, he applied for well over 400 jobs and had almost 100 interviews before he got his current job!

I tried full time 3 years ago (I'm 44) I lasted a year. Previously to that I was self employed so manipulated my work to suit me.

I'm part time again now and I'm happy. Very very supportive DH thankfully as my salary is 75% down.

So...look to part time or be your own boss. There's always a way x

My son has Aspergers, he has completed his degree and is now in training as an accountant. He struggles in some areas, he finds office structures difficult to comprehend and has been "warned" about his tone of voice ( he can sound very condescending at times!) but he is coping!

Good career choice for Aspergers. Good luck to him!

I work for chartered accountants now and I know my boss (the owner) has Aspergers. The others don't in the office but I do. Love it there!

I'm in the process of diagnosis. I worked f/t until I had dc and part time since.
I've had a variety of jobs within IT. Pretty successfully I think.