Children with autism spectrum disorders require specific teaching of many skills that will help support future employment. Autism spectrum disorders are pervasive developmental disorders that include significant language delays, along with social impairments and stereotyped behaviors. While Asperger’s syndrome does not include significant delays, it does often include deficits in the use of language. These difficulties make finding and keeping jobs very difficult. Children with autism or Asperger’s syndrome often require much more practice and use before they can demonstrate employment skills fluently. Starting early will help to ensure they are on the road to getting and keeping a job in a career of their choice.
Behavioral Supports for Career Planning for Young Children With Autism
For children with autism spectrum disorders, make functional job related skills part of their daily routine. Setting an alarm clock is a good example of something children will have to be able to do as an adult in order to have a job. Other skills might include being able to stay on a schedule, practicing good hygiene, or ordering a lunch. These should be second nature by the time your child gets their first job.
Limit the time children with autism or Asperger's spend watching television, or obsessing over non-functional routines or intensive all-encompassing interests. Temple Grandin urges caregivers to limit things like television and video games and push more functional routines to promote future employment for children with autism.
Parents of autistic children should create daily routines that require their child to follow a schedule. Make participation in their preferred interests (the ones that they could do all day if allowed) the fun things that they get to do after their required chores are done. Set a schedule that requires timing. This will teach them that certain things (like leaving for work) have set time schedules that have to be followed.
Have zero tolerance for poor behaviors. Do not allow children with autism spectrum disorders to hit or display social behaviors that are unacceptable. Too often, behaviors that are just simply bad are attributed to the child’s autism or they are forgiven because of the autism. Do not let autism be an excuse for poor behaviors that will get in the way of a functional adult life, including employment.
Social Skills That Support Future Employment Goals for Children With Autism
Teach functional social skills. Social skills must be specifically taught with role play and prompted practice. Settings like scouts or sports, where children are involved in a structured activity and the socialization is secondary also provide a great way to promote socialization.
Teach the “whens” and “hows” of eye contact. Direct eye contact can be very uncomfortable for those on the autism spectrum. Adults with higher functioning autism and Asperger’s state that they lose comprehension when they do have to make eye contact, They have a hard time doing that and processing at the same time. Teach children the situations when eye contact is required (like a job interview) and have them practice occasional eye contact with out staring.
Teach children with autism or Asperger's to read facial expressions and feelings. Children with autism spectrum disorders have a hard time recognizing the more subtle aspects of social communication, like facial expressions. More vague expressions like disappointment, questioning, or gratitude can be missed completely. They must be specifically taught and practiced. They can be taught with facial expression and feeling cards. Pictures out of magazines can work the same way.
Push more complex language and conversation skills. If language skills are absent or severely delayed, a visual communication system may be a necessity. For children with higher functioning autism or Asperger’s, turn taking in conversation and understanding implied meanings may be especially difficult. Those with Asperger’s may be very verbose, especially with preferred topics. Push better communication skills. Public schools can often provide speech and language services to assist with this objective.
Employment and Career Planning for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Investigate career choices. Making career choices for those on the autism spectrum can be complex. They may be a highly visual thinker or may be more inclined to numbers and math. Look at careers that center on those strengths. Try to find define career and job choices that have set daily routines, fewer social and emotional demands, and no adverse sensory input.
Contact service agencies. Some agencies have lengthy application processes and a time lapse between applying and actually getting services. Parents should contact agencies when their children are young and ask what the waiting time is to actually receive services. Get the child on waiting lists for any support they might need to live and work independently. The Autism Society recommends contacting state departments of vocational rehabilitation, state employment offices, mental health agencies and disability organizations.
Preparing Children with Autism for Employment
Children with autism spectrum disorders have great potential in the area of employment. That potential is much easier to access though when caregivers have started at an early age with teaching those skills that support employment.
References:
Temple Grandin, "Transition and Independent Living for Individuals With Autism and Asperger's," (accessed June 14, 2010)
Autism Society, "Employment," (accessed June 14, 2010)
Deborah O'Banion - Having published hundreds of articles, Deborah O'Banion is a prolific writer on topics related to psychology, education and parenting. She ...
