Degree + High IQ = Job, right?

Not necessarily.  And especially not if you are an adult living anywhere on the autism spectrum. Even for those on the higher end, the social interaction alone can be too difficult and stressful.

Peter Griffin, a 29-year-old with an IQ of 159 and a degree in astrophysics…and a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome…has held a job since he was 16. However, it’s only one day a week.  He spends the other days recovering: “At the end of a day trying to be ‘normal’, acting the part, wearing the mask and reining myself in, I’m like a pressure cooker.”

Peter wasn’t diagnosed with Asperger’s until he was 19, when his younger brother, Stephen, was diagnosed with severe autism. They have another brother who is neurotypical. 

Stephen is now 18. Because the family lives in England, he has had no transitional support. However, last year the National Autistic Society commissioned a survey related to adults with autism and their families. Thanks to the results of the survey, the government is planning to develop a national adult-autism strategy, which includes ensuring that every 14-year-old with a statement of special needs has a transition plan in place, as well as providing better support and services for those adults on the spectrum like Peter and Stephen.

As the parent of a 13-year-old says about her son, “He has full-blown autism. He will never be independent. People say, ‘Oh, Polly, you shouldn’t say that.’ But it’s true. If he lived in the community, he’d be a liability. Not fair on the public. Not fair on Billy. But that doesn’t mean he can’t lead a useful and productive life with the right support.”

Read more about the experiences of Peter, Stephen, Billy and others in the article “How do autistic children survive as adults?” by Caroline Scott here.