Autistic teen featured in People Magazine November 2010

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So while i was at home, my mother handed me a magazine called People and said there is an article about an autistic teenager who got involved in this program designed for individuals on the autistic spectrum and i think you should read it. So as i instantly dismiss the obvious generation differences between me and this late teen, i read the article. At first glance, i wasn't really impressed as there wasn't too much detail provided in a two page article. Sure it went over the main points and gave examples of his life and the program, i still was unsure about the depth and usefulness of the program. However in a way, i wished that maybe if i had this type of program when i was his age, maybe my social activities during those years and onward would have turned out more positively for me. And i think everyone can relate at least a little that we can see ourselves in this autistic teen regardless of age, etc. So what do you think of the article?

Autistic Teen featured in People Magazine

I've heard about that program.

Honestly, at his age I would not have gone for it--I simply had no interest in any of that stuff. However, it sounds like he genuinely wanted to learn how to interact more "normally," and I'm glad it worked out for him.

The one thing that bothered me was "How to tease like a teen." On the one hand, it'll be easier for him to verbally defend himself; on the other, it's really sad that being able to do this is even necessary.

I wouldn't have fell for any of that stuff, either. I was a loner by choice as a teen and something like that would not have changed my mind. I loved having my alone time with my art, and my 60s music. I'm glad that it worked out for him.

Yeah, as a parent, I think this program would be great for a certain kind of teenager -- who really wants to socialize, but just doesn't know how. I have a son like this, so it would probably be somewhat helpful for him. But he has a friend who would rebel against this sort of thing. It would only be helpful to the kind of person who wants friends -- and there are just some people who prefer to be alone. Nothing wrong with that.

A surprising transformation, to think of the progress this guy has apparently made due to classes like these. I get by sort of ok, but i don't really have any freinds i can relate to on a level that i'd like. Makes me think of the benifits studying socializing techniques would have.

my mother also said she would teach me these social things as she says i have difficulty understanding facial expressions, why people get upset sometimes for things i say , and when i take things literally. or she suggested i bring up this article to my therapist. my therapist has suggested i join a local autism support group but i would be seriously disappointed if it was not a very social group or if the people were majority younger than me. of course it would be a better group if there were some cute available legal aspie women there. Asperger's explains my past experiences in the social world,etc. but i guess my arrogance/stubbornness/lack of motivation is still keeping me from moving forward. it would be great to have a few good honest friends in my life. so we'll see.

bumping this. lurkers, do u have anything to say about this?

Great article...I only wish those types of programs were found in more places...he seems to have benefited greatly from the intensive support given and I love how programs like these make all the difference.

As well...I know this might be a little irrelevant, but the guy featured is absolutely GORGEOUS. I'd be his friend any day.

Read this a while ago. I'm his age (roughly) and I don't really care for a program like this. That said, I'm only a suspected aspie (and a suspected HF one at that,) and I can socialize reasonably well (although this has come from practice.)

As others have said above, this is a good program for someone who wants to socialize, but doesn't know how.

I re-read the article this week and I felt like they were teaching him to be fake. But, if he wanted to fit in more, then I guess this program was for him. I wouldn't have done it myself at that age; it caused me too much stress and anxiety to try to be like everyone else (am I doing it wrong? etc.).

I think articles like that are really fake. They make him sound like he's practically cured. They don't give any details about it and just sort of glaze over the autism. Don't they realise that having AS is like being a different person to everyone? It's not that simple.
I certainly can't just ring up people from school and invite them over. Although I think they'd come, it would just be awkward and it wouldn't set any sort of precedent. This just makes autism more of a mystery...