I don't know if an official diagnosis will help. You are right to ask that.... and I appreciate it. Maybe we don't need that. We are just grasping at straws on how to best help him move forward. Thanks for being bold and asking!!!

Yes, that is exactly what a bowling pro is.

I am coming back to the hive looking for some more advice about my most likely mildly autistic son. (age 19) He spent a year at a small, private college and it didn't end very well. His grades were poor and he didn't make any friends. Covid, with all that came with it, most likely played a part in his troubles...but not completely. My husband and I had a heart to heart talk with DS this afternoon. He doesn't want to go back to college. He thinks he wants to pursue looking at a job as a bowling pro (not a pro-bowler). He doesn't know if this is going to take him anywhere and either do we...but I honestly do not see him going for any kind of college degree at this point. He isn't the strongest academically and so this is where we are. We want to get him evaluated for mild ASD but aren't sure where to go. Do we just go to our GP or seek out a specialist. Our insurance allows us to skip the GP if we want to. I also wanted to share with you all some of the behaviors we are seeing....so maybe you can not only affirm our suspicions, but also maybe help us know what a good next step might be for DS, since college doesn't seem to be in his near future. The things we see now are (that he also had as a kid) are sensory issues....he hates certain touches (his back, feet and parts of his face are the worst). He can't stand to have a table cloth touch his leg...even if he has pants on (he always folds it under). He is also obsessed with anything sports...especially Michigan sports...he remembers stats and names, games and scores, and all sorts of little details. He is also really good at remembering dates and events...and certain little details about things that we all have totally forgotten. We always have said if we can't remember something, to ask DS....and nearly every time he remembers. At first we doubted him....until we learned that he was nearly always correct. He is a keyboardist and would play and replay the same phrase or line of a piece of music over and over again...not to learn, but just to do it and listen to it. Any kind of change is hard for him, although he is a lot better at dealing with that than he used to be. It used to throw him for a major loop. He used to over react with his emotions...and he still does that sometimes...like when something is funny, he laughs really loud....even when it's inappropriate. He used to get angry easily or scream loudly when he got hurt (even a little bit) and he has stopped doing that. He used to constantly need to be tapping his foot, or a pencil or his finger....and he never even realized he was doing that....he doesn't do that as much any more. But still does sometimes. He always had the need to have some things (but not everything) in a certain order...his room is a disaster, but then when he is doing something, there is always a specific order in which he wants it done it. He used to be really sensitive to strong smells....and would over react to them. He has trouble making friends. He really has nobody, except his cousin who he rooms with who actually has been diagnosed with Aspergers since he was 5. (Autism runs in my family...I have a cousin who has a more severe autism son, and I question whether one of my brothers and even my father might be mildly autistic. ) I am sure there are more examples, but I am just not thinking about them right now. Thanks so much for all of your thoughts and ideas.

I just wanted to thank all of you for your thoughts and ideas. you have given us much to consider and that has been very helpful. Thanks again.

good to know this. thank you.

thank you for all of this. I really appreciate all of the ideas.

Wow.....you guys have been so amazing....I can't thank you enough for helping me out. Keep it going if you can...but we have a great list to start with.

yeah...maybe...this is an interesting idea too....wow...lots of great things to explore.

this I never thought about, Added it the list for sure.

this was all very helpful. thanks. Many ideas I never considered. thanks for the links too.

this is interesting....we will look into it.

Lots of math required? He likes random numbers, but he doesn't like calculations and the like.

He is at a small 4 year college. No, he hasn't contacted a guidance counselor, but that would be a good idea.

I didn't realize that was such a short program.

That's a good thought. What does it take to achieve this?

I had thought about this too... but just didn't know. No, he has not coached.... but that is an interesting thought.

A desk job will not suit him, I don't think.

Hmmm.... that is interesting. Thanks.

I am looking for career jobs ideas. As far as favorite subjects...PE and music are his favorite...probably because you didn't have to sit and listen to a lecture...he is all about being actively involved.

we have a 19 year old son with one year of college under his belt. He is struggling to figure out what he wants to do with his life. We think he has mild autism and so we are trying to figure out what type of careers are best suited for someone like him. His strengths are his caring personality, he is sensitive to others. He is good with animals. He is good with remembering numbers and events (especially those that are important to him). He loves sports of all kinds and is very good at most of them. He is described as being athletic. He is also musical. He remembers stats of his favorite ball players and teams....even stats from well before his time. He is very orderly (not necessarily neat), but he likes things to be in the same order. He thrives in a job where he isn't sitting or standing in the same place for a long period of time. Last year he worked as a cashier and hated it, this summer he is working for our small town mowing grass and that fits him better. So, I don't know if you all can give us some direction in which to consider. He doesn't want to teach because he struggles with getting his thoughts to come out through his mouth and even in writing. When he isn't thinking about what he is saying, he speaks just normally. So we are just trying to think outside the box and if you guys can help us, we would be so grateful. Thanks.

I currently have a HP Envy 6055 printer and I HATE it. I LOVE the Instant Ink program it came with, but other than that, I hate it. I sometimes prints, and then sometimes it doesn't (I think I have figured it has something to do with connecting properly to the internet...and then connecting to my computer, but it's not reliable)....I can't for the life of me figure out how to scan (which was a feature I really wanted)...I bought it back in April last year when there were VERY few options available because of COVID, so I settled on this one.... But I want to replace it. I would love to stick with the Instant Ink program, but other than that, I just need some recommendations for a reliable color printer that won't break my bank to buy it....(under $250....preferably closer to $200)....but I don't want to waste money on a dud again either. I would like it to scan (fax is not needed)....other than that I am pretty open to other things. Thanks.