If you have a child with autism, you may be concerned about their independence as they grow up and whether or not they will be able to live on their own and provide for themselves. At ACES, our team of experienced and devoted professionals spends time each day changing the lives of those who have been impacted by autism and other developmental disabilities through ABA therapy. While autism presents a unique challenge to the independence of your child, living alone with autism is more common than you might think! Here are a few factors to consider when thinking about your child’s level of independence. If you are interested in learning more about the therapies we offer, contact ACES to get started today.

Differing Levels of Independence

It’s important to recognize that autism diagnoses fall on a spectrum and that a diagnosis of autism does not necessarily mean your child will struggle severely with development or independence. Simply put, an ASD diagnosis means that your child will develop differently than someone without autism. This means that they may be completely capable of having a successful career, getting married, and taking care of themselves as they grow older. At ACES, we help those with autism to become the best version of themselves. Contact us today for any inquiries you have about our services.

Communication

Whether your child is at work, living with roommates or a spouse, or just out and about running errands, communication is a valuable part of independent living. While people with ASD typically struggle to communicate, at ACES, we are able to work with individuals and train them to communicate to give them the skills they need to live high-quality, independent lives through autism therapy. If your child is struggling with communication skills, these can be taught and may not be a hindrance to their independence as they grow older.

Skills to Consider

Aside from communicating well, there are other skills to consider when thinking about your child living on their own. Things like personal hygiene, cooking food, money management, and career path and development are all things to think about when considering whether or not your child will be able to live on their own. Our specialized ABA therapy programs and trained therapists are able to work with each child to teach them the skills they need to live independently. Your child may be very capable of maintaining all of these skills well!

Supporting Factors

Everyone needs support in life, even people without autism need some level of support from other people. Whether this is a spouse that is aware of some of the struggles their husband or wife has as a result of ASD, or a specialized caregiver who is able to assist your child living on their own, there are different levels of support that can accompany an independent person with autism.People with autism are very often totally capable of living on their own. However, there are some important skills that your child may need to be taught in order for this to be done well. ACES takes time with each of our patients to cater our ABA therapy programs to each individual. We believe that making a small change in their lives makes a big change in their communities. For information about our programs, find an ACES location near you, or contact us today!