ISABELLA27

Hi I've been having this experience myself and my advice would be if you are hoping that the internship will lead to paid employment, don't tell them yet, but get in touch with your local mental heath team, who should have somebody who supports people on the spectrum in their workplace. The consultant who assessed you should have put you in touch with them, but if they haven't, either get in touch with the consultant or the mental health team directly. The mental Health Services work with both employers and the individual, educating the employer and ensuring that your anxieties about work are discussed, crises avoided etc. They can't discriminate because of our ASD but if they don't know, they may find us tactless or unprofessional at times, so in the long run, I would avoid certain jobs which require you to engage too much with people (I was a teacher - bad idea), but I would tell them. Also, this is quite direct, but my family would rather nobody have known that I'm different, I've never followed their advice, otherwise I couldn't have accepted myself, and been proud of who I am. Good luck isabella

Thank you for that. I've learned something new today. Bye for now...

Hi, I just wanted let you know what I did with my son, which so far seems to be working. I took some advice from a specialist at our local Autistic/Aspergers Centre, who said that ASD children have to get used to change. I have ASD myself and was never given choices, I was just told to do it. With my son, I can't take such a hardnosed approach, as I remember how difficult it was for me. What I did do when I decided he had to swap rooms with his younger sister, is that I painted the new room in exactly the same colour, and when he was out swapped everything except for his bed and his cuddly toys. He now plays in his new room, but hasn't slept in it yet. I'm waiting for him to be ready to sleep in his new bedroom and haven't raised the issue with him, so there is no pressure. He may never sleep in his new room, but it means he will have to share his sleeping quarters with his younger sister (6 year age gap). For me, I'm glad now that I wasn't given choices, it would have been too difficult for me moving house, bedrooms, but it gave me the skills to challenge myself when I became older. I lived abroad for a year, did a degree, had children, all of which terrified me, but I knew I had the strength to do these things. Maybe I'm not doing the right thing for my child but I know that he is going to face changes all his life, so I want to break them to him slowly. Good luck, and hope that it all works out. I also have a NT child, and how all so difficult it is. Kind regards Isabella

Thank you very much. You've given me some ideas, and also highlighted that the lack of self motivation is an AS trait. I didn't realise that, just thought that I was rather spoilt in my life so far, and had become lazy. I don't know what a Telemarketer is but I hope you make a great success of it. Kind regards Isabella

Hi, thank you for responding. I'm a qualified primary school teacher, but found working in schools very stressful. I specialised in Mathematics and have tutored privately for some years, but if I'm being honest, I don't make a good maths teacher. I find it so easy, and can't break it down to make it comprehensible to children, so have decided to move away from teaching altogether. I enjoy so many things, but can't to seem to get started on any of them. Regards

Hi, thank you for responding to my note... I've worked as a volunteer for several years, I ran a children's playgroup, worked as a manual bookeeper for several organisations, and organise an annual fundraising event for Amnesty, so lots of experience organising events. I don't enjoy working as a bookeeper but do like organising events, just not sure whether I could make a living out of it. One of my problems is that I've been raising my children for last few years, and now feel unemployable. Just lost my confidence I suppose.

My work history is awful, and it should have occurred to me years ago that I am on the spectrum, but it didn't, and I only recently at 43 had myself diagnosed officially. Co-incidently I have found myself having to support myself and my 2 children for the first time. I don't seem to be able to function in a work enviroment so I need to think of setting up a company of some sort. I am pretty well qualified, and quite honestly, do not want to study any further. Has anyone any ideas please that they don't mind sharing.