As the idiom goes, ”Hindsight is 20/20”.
This is to inform children, teens, and college students with “2E” Level 2 Autism and/or their families regarding two problems of David’s that hopefully you can plan for and avoid:
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[1] Medical effects upon income:
[A] Autism’s symptoms:
"Level 2" Autism meant that, for David to earn high enough grades to receive fellowships to fund graduate school, we had to delay the “Supported Living Services” (SLS) and other community training that normally replaces college attendance.
By having me provide full time job coaching, secretarial, domestic services, errand-running, etc, David’s only job was to study. Only in this manner could he endure his long academic “workday”.
(Warning! — If your son or daughter relies upon SSI, the Student Earned Income Exclusion normally ends at age 22. However, I’m not a trained benefits specialist nor an attorney, so please consult a professional before deciding whether to follow in my ignorant footsteps).
Once college ended, I quit, so David's daytime hours were split between work, his Community “Day Program” and his SLS program. (The way most "Level 2" Autistic adults live instead of college).
This means that he can now only earn income part-time. His income's so low that he must rely upon a financial aid package of government programs to survive.
[B] Other symptoms:
In addition to the Autism itself impacting David’s ability to earn enough to survive without subsidies, researchers are warning about a much-overlooked-during-childhood diagnosis of "Habitual Dysphagia". The second paragraph of the following article states that "Short term symptoms may be negligible, but long-term consequences may be life altering".
Warning: If you miss a significant hidden diagnosis before age 22, you might place at risk your son or daughter’s government benefits. I am not an attorney, so I highly recommend consulting one if you are hoping that someday your college-bound son or daughter might be able to receive Disabled Adult Child benefits when you retire.
Here's the article:
Autism and Dysphagia &/or digestive disorders
[2] Financial:
For the reasons stated above in my own son’s story, and similar issues told by numerous other adults with “Twice Exceptionality” (Level 2 “Savant Syndrome Autism”, “High-IQ/Level 2 Autism”, etc), many adults cannot go on to earn the income that they’d hoped for during college.
No problem for the privileged few from wealthy families who inherit large trust funds. (Such as the friends in whose footsteps I followed… oops!).
If, however, you are a non-wealthy family member considering serving as your Level 2 or Level 3 son's or daughter's assistant throughout college, I recommend that you first read the following book:
"Autism Job Club", by Bernick and Holden. It contains significant statistical information regarding the problem of chronic unemployment for the majority of adults with autism regardless of college degrees.
[3] Post-college living arrangements:
Finally, before investing time and/or finances in college, please note that there is a massive crisis involving supportive living arrangements for adults with autism.
My California-based friends and I address this in our online support group:
Developmental Disability Future Planning Group.
Other groups for similar networking:
AASCEND (San Francisco in-person, but globewide online)
Parents Helping Parents (Nationwide)
Future For Our Kids (Placer County)
