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Autism & the difficulty of getting & doing a job

Autism (ASD) | Last Active: Jul 31, 2021 | Replies (60)

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@gingerw

@harleneq Hi there! You had posted about your son having difficulty finding a job, and that he has been diagnosed with autism. Has he found a position that is a good fit for him? If so, can you share any tips that helped him be successful? And how are you doing with your support of him? It must be difficult to watch your child struggle, isn't it? Working can be such a rewarding experience, but sometimes the wrong fit has just the opposite effect.
Ginger

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Replies to "@harleneq Hi there! You had posted about your son having difficulty finding a job, and that..."

Hi @gingerw, my stepson has been diagnosed with autism. He is in his 30s now. He has a mild case of autism so it is difficult for people who once meet him to see his disability. A person will not notice unless they have several interactions with him. It is very limiting and challenging. Each person with autism is slightly different from another as some have a behavior more pronounced where it becomes an infatuation. With my stepson his is watching shows and movies particularly superheroes. He can recite the words in those shows. He sees them over and over. His discussions are all about movies and shows because that is his interest. He has had jobs over the years but nothing long lasting. It is difficult to find a job that fits his interest. So far any jobs involving thinking he cannot do like restocking shelves because he had to know and give counts or cashier. He has also tried driving a van. It is difficult seeing him struggle but he chooses not to listen to any advice. He probably can’t follow advice. He has learned it is much easier for him to say “yes” although he doesn’t understand rather than to listen to explanations. People who don’t know him think he understands the simplest things when he does not. This continually gets him into trouble. I know of another older woman who has similar traits. She wants people to believe she can understand to do things just like my stepson. Toni