My Young Adult Child with Asperger’s: Out of the Nest and Into the World

Most parents feel some degree of anxiety and reluctance about releasing their young adult children out into this difficult world. Rejection, failure, and heartbreak are staples to maturity and success but parents often feel a need to protect their children from these pains. When you have a young adult who is suffering from Asperger’s disorder, letting your child go is even more frightening.

We can help. At Optimum Performance Institute, our residential treatment center especially designed for this stage in your child’s life. Keep reading to find out more.

The typical rites of passage that symbolize the transition into adulthood may include attending college, finding a job, and being in a serious romantic relationship. By default, a child with Asperger’s will have greater difficulty with these rites of passage due to his or her poor social skills and singular interests. The disorder may have already brought with it some ridicule and rejection in the earlier years of your child’s life. Therefore, he or she may be resigned to living at home forever and avoiding further exclusion in adult life. In addition, your young adult son or daughter may be exhibiting anxiety or depression in regards to reaching the independent stage of adulthood.

This frequently seen “failure to launch” aspect of Asperger’s may cause parents to be at war with themselves. Naturally, you want your child to experience some of the traditional hallmarks of adulthood but you also want to fiercely shield him or her from these oftentimes painful experiences. Where does the middle ground lie?

First off, you need to understand that these feelings you are having are normal, expected, understandable, and okay! It’s common to be concerned about your child during this tumultuous period in life. You want the best for him or her and you want your child to have as equal a shot at success as anyone else, right? Of course, you do!

Luckily, there is something you can do to lend a hand and foster development. Enrolling your child in an Asperger’s syndrome residential treatment program can assist with further developing the essential skills he or she needs to function as an adult. The Optimum Performance Institute welcomes individuals with Asperger’s disorder.

Here, your child can work side by side with other Asperger’s young adults who are going through similar life experiences. Together, they can learn to improve their social skills and practice the activities they need to flourish as independent adults. With our program, you can rest assured that your child will not be forced prematurely into situations for which he or she is not prepared. In this case, everybody wins!

For more information on OPI residential programs and our measures to help reduce Failure to Launch obstacles for young adults with Asperger’s Syndrome, call us at (888) 814-5985 or click HERE to submit an online form. We’ll be in touch promptly.