Paul Scholes, the former Manchester United midfielder and England playmaker, has revealed that he stopped doing commentary work to care for his autistic son Aiden. The 50-year-old, who co-parents Aiden with his ex-wife, initially kept his son's diagnosis a secret during his playing career due to the lack of understanding about autism at the time.
Scholes shared this information on the Stick to Football podcast, stating that he had built his schedule around Aiden's needs. He explained that last season's Europa League broadcasts on Thursday nights posed a problem for him as they coincided with Aiden's usual routine. Scholes acknowledged that he would become agitated and uncomfortable during these broadcasts.
The former United player also discussed the challenges of managing Aiden's condition, particularly when he was younger. Scholes mentioned that his son's diagnosis was made when he was two-and-a-half years old, but he had struggled to come to terms with it himself, especially since there was limited understanding about autism back then.
Scholes expressed his desire not to receive sympathy or attention regarding Aiden's condition and instead focused on ensuring the well-being of his son. He also shared concerns about what might happen when he is no longer able to care for Aiden due to his age.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a range of conditions that affect communication, social interactions, interests, and behavior in individuals. With approximately one in every 100 people in the UK estimated to have autism, awareness about the condition has increased over time.
Scholes shared this information on the Stick to Football podcast, stating that he had built his schedule around Aiden's needs. He explained that last season's Europa League broadcasts on Thursday nights posed a problem for him as they coincided with Aiden's usual routine. Scholes acknowledged that he would become agitated and uncomfortable during these broadcasts.
The former United player also discussed the challenges of managing Aiden's condition, particularly when he was younger. Scholes mentioned that his son's diagnosis was made when he was two-and-a-half years old, but he had struggled to come to terms with it himself, especially since there was limited understanding about autism back then.
Scholes expressed his desire not to receive sympathy or attention regarding Aiden's condition and instead focused on ensuring the well-being of his son. He also shared concerns about what might happen when he is no longer able to care for Aiden due to his age.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a range of conditions that affect communication, social interactions, interests, and behavior in individuals. With approximately one in every 100 people in the UK estimated to have autism, awareness about the condition has increased over time.
just heard this convo about Paul Scholes stopping commentary work for his autistic son Aiden 
and i gotta say its super inspiring that he prioritized his child's needs over his career 
Scholes didnt wanna receive sympathy or attention but instead focused on making sure Aiden is good, thats so selfless 
and its also sad to hear how limited understanding there was about autism back in the day 
i hope more people are learning about it now 
and i wish Scholes all the best for taking care of Aiden as he gets older 
I feel like Paul Scholes is super relatable right now! Caring for an autistic child can be so challenging, and it's amazing that he prioritized his son Aiden's needs over his own career. I mean, can you imagine having to deal with the stress of a broadcast on Thursday night while your kiddo usually gets their routine on? 
That would drive anyone crazy!
Let's all give him a round of applause for being such an amazing dad! 
. As a parent myself, I can only imagine how tough it must be to balance work and family life while also navigatin' this stuff. And yeah, it's not like he wants sympathy or anythin' - that's the important thing. Anyway, it's awesome that awareness about autism is gettin' better, even if there's still a long way to go 
. I mean, Paul Scholes is a great guy and all, but it sounds like he was already pretty dedicated to his son Aiden before even having to make some sacrifices. Did he really have no other options or was he just trying to shift the narrative? And what about his ex-wife - did she step up her game and take on more responsibilities with Aiden's care while Scholes was doing commentary work? I'm not saying it couldn't be a genuine reason, but it feels like there might be more to it than meets the eye 
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. i'm glad he prioritized his son's needs over anything else 
also why did his ex-wife not tell anyone about autism back then? wasnt there some awareness campaign or somethin'? 
. That takes a lot of selflessness and maturity. He could have easily used his platform to raise awareness about autism, but instead he just focused on giving his son the best life possible.
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. Scholes' story is a great reminder that we need to support families like his, who are already doing so much for their loved ones 
... I mean, we didn't know much about autism back then, but that doesn't excuse him from being open about it now. But at the same time, kudos to him for putting his son's needs first and building a schedule around Aiden's routine 
... it's not easy balancing work and family life, especially when you're caring for someone with autism. I'm glad he's speaking out about his experiences and raising awareness about ASD 
