According to statistics, the autism spectrum incidence rate in Taiwan, China is about 1%. Currently, about 16,000 people have received a manual for physical and mental disability (confirmed). Obviously, there are still many potential patients who have not been diagnosed. Adults of them often encounter setbacks in life due to misunderstandings.
Chang Geng Hospital in Linkou District, New Taipei City cares for autistic people, encourages and affirms their abilities and talents, and implements social welfare. It specially purchased a total of 55 films on the public version of the autistic documentary "Earth Trek" theater film, and donates them to relevant societies to play.
"Earth Trek" records the story of four families of autistic patients, overcoming obstacles, regulating society, and leveraging their artistic talents. The film took 90 minutes and took 4 years to complete the production. Director Lin Zhengsheng said that the biggest challenge for adult autism is that there is nowhere to go after leaving school, and that parents who take care of their parents are old or no one takes care of them after they die. He mentioned that the source of change should start with "mutual understanding". He hopes that everyone can help autistic patients with long-term talents through videos. Ting Wei in the documentary is an autistic child with language expression disorder. He was once asserted by his teacher that he would never learn to speak for the rest of his life. Although he felt pain and angry, he could not refute it. Later, Tingwei was lucky enough to learn to use moving poems and music, as well as colorful brushes, to break through the cold and alienatedness and exude the warmth of the universe in his heart.
Dr. Ni Xinzhang, director of the Department of Children's Psychology at Linkou Chang Geng Hospital, said that the two core difficulties of autism are social disorders and stereotyped behaviors. Clinical observations have also found that it is difficult for autistic patients to put their hearts in the other person's feelings, and they are even easily misunderstood because they cannot understand the social situation, and they are less flexible in thinking. Although there will be different degrees of improvement as you get older, overall, its essential barriers continue to exist, affecting their family, study, and performance in the workplace.
Ni Xinzhang mentioned that most autistic patients who are on the school stage can receive some degree of support with the help of the education system. However, once you leave school, the challenge and the test begins.
Survey and research shows that in 2014, in southern Taiwan Province, the employment rate of adult autism was only 13.6%. In the 2019 Labor Status Survey Report on the Physical and Mind-Disabled Labor Status Survey, the employment of autistic patients is mostly in manufacturing (24.6%) and catering (15.0%). As for adults with no job, most people with autism will consider going to small care centers or day care centers. However, due to the quota restrictions, many people cannot enter and can only stay at home and be taken care of by their families.
Ni Xinzhang emphasized that although adults with better abilities have more job opportunities, they may be due to the core difficulties of autism and the lack of understanding of autism in the workplace, they often find it difficult to keep their current jobs or be succumb to lower-paid jobs.
However, adults with autism also have considerable advantages, including being serious, responsible, reliable, and able to tolerate repetitive work. As long as they provide appropriate environment and assistance, their work performance will not be inferior to ordinary people.
