What are the benefits for an adult to get diagnosed?

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I'm sure I have AS. I'm 30 years old. I have B.S. in chemistry. I'm married, have 3 kids (1 is a diagnosed aspie, 1 year old shows signs already. 3 yo is NT.) I don't work anymore, I stay at home (SAH) with the kids.

I don't want to work in chemistry anymore, it's too boring. I'd rather not work, but I feel like I should b/c why should I get to do nothing after the little ones are in school and put all of the responsibility on my husband? I'm not a great housekeeper. Everything's clean, but cluttered. I have trouble dealing with junk mail and the papers the kids bring home from school. I have a hard time telling what's junk and what I actually need to keep. I like to read everything, but now w/ kids, I don't have time, so it just piles up. But I don't want to work. I dislike being around people ALL day, 5 days a week. It's exhausting! I wouldn't mind part-time, but it's almost impossible to find a part-time job as a lab rat, unless you want to be very underpaid. I guess I could go back to school, but for what? I've thought about nursing, since they get paid well and can often work just 3 days per week instead of 5, but it's probably dealing w/ more people than I can handle. I guess I'm saying all this to point out that, yes, even though I've managed to scrape by passing as "almost" NT (I've always been considered very strange, had tons of problems relating, didn't have friends till college), I have problems.

So what happens when you're diagnosed as an adult? Are there services that would help me find a way to contribute better to my family? Whether by making me feel better about being a SAHM, helping me be a better parent, or by helping me find a career that I cold handle that would be good for me? Just wondering if there's any reason to bother getting a diagnosis.

I believe there was a thead just a little down this forum on diagnosis and its benefits.

http://www.wrongplanet.net/modules.php? ... ic&t=25585

Wendy,

In your case there are all kinds of services to help you for all of those things. You should get an official dx and get the assistance you need. No need for you to be feeling like that.

Zanne

Ready for this one?

Try preschool teacher. Flexible hours and kids are little enough for us to understand; which by that I mean their bahavior's are not at the complex teenager stage....it's especially well suited if you like to read....that's the first key to learning and understanding behavoir. Chemistry? That takes some readying and logical thinking.

It's really easy for us aspie's...kids are pretty simple in their behaviors....they don't hide their emotions. And it also works for us because we don't mind messes, the day is always changing...from different activities...etc. You'd be surprised. And you get to play all day.

What are your thoughts?

I actually worked in a preschool/child development center when I was in college and I absolutely loved it. I did a lot of reading and wiping noses. My problems with it are that once I had my own children, I just do not have enough... I don't know what to call it... Patience?.. left for both the kids at the school and my own if I work for more than 3 hours per day at a preschool. Not fair to any of the kids. I used to enjoy helping out at my oldest son's school, but now that he's 7, I've started feeling awkward around his classmates. I guess 7 really is the age when they become socially aware, etc, like they always say when they say most kids w/ AS aren't diagnosed till 7. I do still like helping out at my middle son's Montessori preschool, but I can't often b/c my 1 yo is a freaking maniac, so I can't take him, and I can't leave him with anybody. My best friend used to babysit for me and she can't handle him for more than 30 min. She has 4 kids of her own, definitely experienced, so that should tell you what a maniac he is. Plus early ed people are seriously underpaid. I made $22/hour at my last job, so it will be hard for me to feel lik emy job is worth going to if I am not compensated at least $15/hr. lol. I wish I didn't feel that way, but I did try getting a part-time job and felt it wasn't worth leaving the house and dealing w/ people to get paid so little.

Right now, I do babysit 2 children. the boy I only have 2 days a week for 5 hours each day and the girl I have 2 hours 2 days a week and 5 hours 1 day a week. I'm getting paid well below minimum wage, but hey, I don'thave to leave my house! and it's only 1 extra child at a time, so it doesn't wear me out.

THanks, ZanneMarie. I have been seriously thinking about looking into diagnosis. My dh will be graduating soon, so I think once we have insurance, I will make an appointment.

Eeek! Kids! I'd rather pull out my toenails with pliers than be around kids. They talk and move around alot. Oh and I hate the mess!

Hopefully Wendy feels better about this.

I love little kids. THe mess does bother me a little. Not the dirt and poop part, that's easily fixed, it's the toys strewn everywhere 5 minutes after you've cleaned that bothers me. But I still love them.

That's great! They need cool people around. The cool teachers are the ones who helped me.

nothing. unless you have some full-blown autism, dont expect much help from anyone. about the only help you can get is vocational rehabilitation, but it sounds like you dont have any problems getting a job. of course if you want to pay out of your own pocket i'm sure you could get some family counseling or something

If I interview at 10 places, 1 of them will hire me. Not great for a scientific field. It's keeping the job that I have problems with.

well then go to VR. they'll help you out, if you dont like your job why did you take it? i'm sure its alot better than bagging grocheries at a store or pushing a mop around

Paramedic sounds exciting? You could started out as an EMT to see if you like the work then train to be a paramedic.

What about the easy but boring job of pharmacy?

I have 3 years of chemistry myself.

My opinion adult dx is pointless.(I'm close to 37)

Pharmacy actually sounds ideal for me. My problem is that it would be another 6 years of school for me and I'm not sure if I'm up for that. Well, now that my youngest (and last!) child is getting a bit older, it doesn't sound as daunting. Maybe I will start looking into that further. Or maybe looking into being a pharmacy tech, not a pharmacist. That would be much less school for sure.

As far as I know adult diagnosis is more to explain your past to yourself. Like "oh that's why my childhood was like it was". Maybe it depends on where you live, but where I live there is zero services for adult Aspies. The low spectrum low IQ autistic get services are only ones. Aspies can get counseling, but generally you have to pay for that yourself unless you have some mental disorder to go with it like multiple personality disorder where drs consider you harmful untreated and will see you for free.

I thought pharmacy techs didn't make much? Course depends maybe where you live. From what info I've gathered, because I looked into it myself, they only make like $25,000 a year.