Nightline and Adult Auties

I was sorry to have missed this show.  If I can get the transcripts, will
publish here.

'Nightline' Looks at Adult Autism
What Happens to Autistic Children When They Grow Up?

Oct. 7, 2005 ? More than one million Americans are autistic. It's the
fastest growing developmental disability, estimated at one in 166 births a
year. Much has been reported on autistic youth and as we come to terms with
this trend among children, many wonder: What happens when all these children
grow up?

As ABC News correspondent John Donvan reports, a significant challenge
facing these families is establishing enduring support for their children to
last through adulthood and life. Jim and Jen Hoppe ? whose 21-year-old
daughter Jamie is profoundly autistic ? helped develop a school where Jamie
made enormous progress for 16 years.

For the parents of Paul DiSavino, who is 36 and autistic, the concern now is
what will happen to their son when they are gone. Their current solution is
a group home, but the alternative would be unbearable. Says Paul's mother,
Marlene, "He will not survive it ? it would be regressing back to the
institutions, back to not caring, just doing, just warehousing them ? not
recognizing what's important, and just abandoning them."

Watch "Nightline" tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET to see the full report.




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