April is Autism Awareness Month. When people think of autism, many instinctively tend to think of children. In the next 10 to 15 years, an estimated 800,000 children with autism will age out of the school system and transition into adulthood. To help families and teachers learn more about the future of these children, WGBY will air Autism: Coming of Age on Tuesday, April 12, at 8:oo pm.
Here’s a brief preview:
The one-hour documentary provides an inside look at the lives of three adults with autism and includes interviews with their families and support teams. Autism and disability experts from Massachusetts, New York, Washington, Virginia and Pennsylvania also discuss the current system, impending challenges, and possible outcomes for the future.
I just saw the special. How / where can I get involved to help with artistic adults. Even information would be great.
Eric,
Thank you for your interest in information related to WGBY’s documentary on autism. At our website, http://www.wgby.org/autism/ , you’ll find a link to the Autism: Coming of Age website, which provides information about the documentary and related information.
Of particular interest to you may be the sites for Mass Mutual, who partnered with us on this program, where you’ll find family support and advice regarding autistic adults.
Best, Bess Kapetanis
Well, first of all, being a disorder which level of severity varies as it is on the spectrum, the effects on people’s lives vary also. For example, my son is regarded as non-verbal which prevents him from communicating verbally his needs, questions and emotions and might even become a safety issue. In this case, I would say that Autism might be a handicap. My daughter, on the other hand, is verbal but has difficulty understanding questions. Autism Disorder
Mathilde,
Thank you for pointing out from your own experience how varied the effects of autism can be and how we need to consider individuals when describing the complexity of this disorder.