What happens to children with autism, when they become adults? | Kerry Magro | TEDxMorristown

From my experience, it seems like the world totally abandons adults with autism.

My son was non verbal until the age of 3. He wasn't social til he was 8. He is 12 today, a famous youtuber, and cant wait to go to college to learn more about CGI animation, web design and sound in filmaking. He has taught himself. He has even helped me design websites for clients, he can do coding, he has made many animations, created his own characters, he can mix and create his own original music with studio software. I spent the first five year at home teaching my son his ABC's, how to write before he turned 4. I took him to kids drop in centers to socialize with other kids. The first time he actually played with another child, I cried uncontrollably. Today he is has too many friends to keep up with from school.

My son is 38 and was diagnosed when he was 15 with Aspergers. There was the teasing, bullying and ostracization which Shaun was plagued with and you can't imagine how much sorrow was in our hearts. He put those struggles behind him and shone threw. The biggest hardship was that he never had a friend and still doesn't. I, his mother, have been his only true friend and I am so proud of that. We witnessed his fight to know who he is. Shaun has overcome the obstacles and is a strong, intelligent man with a heart full of gold. There are blurring of the lines on the autism spectrum but I never cared because he IS MY SON. God has given me such a precious gift. I am SO PROUD of him.

I am close to 70. In the past 10 years I figured out I have autism. There was never any doubt I was "different" but until discovering the label nothing made sense. Fortunately I was really intelligent and motivated to work in school... but I was very isolated because I just couldn't understand other children. I was trying to learn how to be interactive... but the effort it took was often overwhelming. Thanks for your presentation.

I wish this video advocated more for adults who were never diagnosed. Also wish this video didn't pathologize autism so much. Not everyone has parents who recognize you have autism and get you the help you need. And not every person with autism sees it as something to overcome.

My best friend was non verbal until age 5. Today he has a great job, married and have 3 kids. He is a bit reserved but has always been there for me

I like how when I defend myself it's called "aggressive tendencies"... but if anyone messes with me it's just no big deal. Good for any autistic who refuses to take any crap. (I know that wasn't the whole point here, but leave it to an aspie to lock on to a comment like that!).

I'm also a woman diagnosed with Austim(Very High Functioning, Aspergers) I have a very different time getting, keeping employment and keeping friends especially female friends In school especially HS I did struggle with certain subjects. It just hard living with this, its hard to be independent finacially live on your own and be comfortable. I did manage to find love in my life but it took me years. It not easy living on the Austim Spectrum but we like everyone else need to try our best. We are very bright smart people though as far as common else and logic.

Erik was 24 and suicided himself. My son told after his first attempt in the hospital the year before. "I can't function in society". I said "but you did so well in school". He said "I didn't want to disappoint the teachers". Been three years that he is gone and a year ago I drempt that he was autistic. That through me curve ball. I now see the signs but I was so blind to it while Erik was growing up. He was like the invisible child, always content or I thought and never complained about anything. He was always grateful for every day little thing, a real sweetheart. Then he was introduced to drugs. Where you are understood you are at home... it went down from that moment on. Thank you for what you do. Information is key for parents that go see the doctors and being told that he or she will grow out of it. Like I've lived. God bless and keep on the good work. Love ya! 🌞

My daughter is 7 with only a few words. I will never give up on her!

I lived my whole life up til recently, (almost 20) without being diagnosed or knowing I'm autistic. Going though harassment, bullying, shunning, from students and teachers alike. I have trauma from school to this day

When he stated, "what will happen to my son when I'm gone?", brought tears to my eyes. I have 2 sons with autism and epilepsy. I deal with that question everyday and the worry I have for them is insane. My sons are 19 and 15, as my sons get older the fear becomes stronger.

You brought tears to my eyes right off the bat. My twins are autistic. One just got diagnosed last week, and the other behind him. Listening to you speak alone helped and gave me hope. I needed to hear this. I needed to hear you speak from the point of view from where my sons are right at this moment. You have filled my heart with a lot of hope and strength. Thank you so much, Kerry.

The most difficult thing is the constant guilt I feel from feeling useless and unable to support, love or care

Im 13, I have autism and I can thankfully still attend a normal school but its not that easy but im happy that people help boys and girls like us .

I have autism and I’m 17 and I don’t know how to grow up my mom is helping me but still it’s really hard

I'm 30 something right now, and I'm autistic. I currently have 4 degrees. My first degree is in aerospace and I was trained by NASA right before the man space flight went away. After that, the only job I was able to get was janitor type work. Many weeks I was paid $8 A WEEK. I worked in manufacturing, freelance, and a number of other things. I've dealt with extreme workplace harassment in most of the jobs I worked, I've been laughed out of interviews, and I found there is virtually no protection for people who are autistic. After a given age getting jobs became more and more rare to the point it isn't happening anymore. Sure, I can get a HS level job. But with all I went through when I was in HS I tried to off myself and I wish it was successful. My backup plan for if I couldn't get a job and what kept me from offing myself for many years is I figure if I couldn't get a job at least I can go into the military as an officer. It turns out there is policies against people who are autistic from joining. And to be blunt about it. I've been burnt by this society so much that I honestly just want to be retired. Right now I make little to nothing on YouTube, some 3D printing, and I'm getting into independent product development. I would be more than happen if some of them just works out and I can do that. So it isn't like I will be sitting and doing nothing. But I'm so tired of things that if it doesn't get better by 2022 then I doubt I will see 2023. It's sad in the USA to get disability you must have an extensive work history, and autistic people have near 0% chance of getting anything. And with SSI if you're valued of $2k or more then you don't qualify. So by me trying to improve myself and have a chance I'm out of luck. My 3D printer setup mix with my computer and laser/cnc alone goes way over that. Something I use to make what little I do now and that gives me any shot of getting into a better life to start with. Something to note is some might think my dream is to have a job. But my overall goal was to have a stable life and I always wanted to have a stable family. Something I never had since many family members even today has nothing to do with me to the point they blamed me once saying my parents and I tried to kidnap my grandparents when my grandparents and I went to look at where they grown up. I can get deeper, but the reason why getting a job was so important to me is that I always believed if you're not financially stable then you shouldn't bring a kid into the world. So if I was retired, then financially stable enough to at least keep them out of poverty and help guide them to a better future than I had hopefully. Sadly, I doubt I will even have the ability to have a stable family and stable life before I die. For those of you who have that or can. Know that you're lucky.

Autism advocacy for high functioning is really poor. I have that college degree but the only support out there is for high school type work like retail and fast food. I graduated with honors in college and was top in my class as a flight attendant because seeing the world was my dream but apparently my dream should have been to not try and get government help because I would have more money coming in. I lost my independence in the process trying. Not enough employers out there that will support someone with Autism. If they have to provide a certain amount of jobs to people with Autism it's being a Janitor. It's sad because I tried to keep up with my peers but instead just get blocked at the door when I am more than qualified.

Man, this man here is one of the few people in the world I actually care about. Because he actually cares. It actually matters to him concerning others. So I honestly wish him every success. I mean, whether Taylor Swift or Kanye West or Trump or Putin do well or poorly, I couldn't care less. But a person like him, completely under the radar, someone only those close to him would know, but the public would never find out about, unless they go out of their way to look for him, whether he lives or dies, it truly truly matters to me.

i have high functioning autism and i just lost my job, it was in the finishing department of a company that makes expensive antique lamps. they said i wasn't meeting the speed requirements of the job, i started this year in may. i miss my co-workers most of all...