This article summarizes some of the information contained in the report entitled: “Diversity in Ontario’s Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Complex Needs in Unprepared Systems”.
Whether youth or adults are ‘mildly’ or ‘severely’ affected by an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), deficits in adaptive skills (also called ‘life skills’ or ‘functional skills’) present challenges which are not well-understood or sufficiently addressed in our service system. Studies and clinical practice show that learning and use of these skills are problematic for individuals with ASD because of difficulties with generalization of learned skills from one setting to another, behavioural inflexibility, sensory sensitivities, gross and fine motor difficulties, mental health struggles, difficulties with executive functioning, lack of interest, and perceptual challenges (Kanne et al., 2011; Smith et al., 2012; Stoddart et al., 2013). Moreover, daily life skills challenges affect not only the life of the individual with ASD, but also his or her family and couple relationships (Stoddart, Burke & King, 2012).