Shutdowns And Your Child
Signs of hypersensitivity to social stress in infants
Shyness is an early sign of hypersensitivity to social stress which was apparent in the SD child as an infant Since prosocial behavior develops rapidly in the second year of life, this is the time when intervention may be the most effective . We believe that sensitivity to social stress is a core feature of the stress instability that we have observed in the SD child. Parents of shy infants risk nothing by contacting their county regional center or other agency qualified to screen for developmental delays. If the screening reveals any developmental delays, parents should take their child to a pediatric neurologist skilled at diagnosing autism. This may lead to psychological testing to confirm a diagnosis.
Identifying and controlling triggers
Triggers may vary from child to child but one would expect social situations to be particularly difficult for an autistic child. Environmental factors should also be considered for children with hypersensitivities to light, sounds, smells or tactile sensations. It is equally important to identify when stress reactions do not occur.
If school is particularly difficult for your child, make arrangements to observe him at school. Collaborating with teachers and therapists will help to identify when the child shows stress, what the symptoms are and what seems to help him recover. APPENDIX III describes methods for identifying stress triggers and shutdowns in your child.
Immediate concerns
Prevention Techniques For Autism Panic Attacks
Panic disorders accompanied by frequent panic attacks can be managed with medication. Additional approaches commonly include teaching a child how to recognize the symptoms of an oncoming panic attack as well as teaching him/her calming techniques, breathing techniques, and mindfulness strategies. Some more specific methods include just simply closing the eyes to temporarily shut away an overstimulating environment . He also suggests not avoiding or figuratively running away from panic attacks, but rather face the feelings in order to reduce future occurrences. Psychiatrists also teach clients with panic disorders cognitive-behavioral techniques and visual imagery strategies to prevent panic attacks.
Taking On Fear Through Exposure One Small Step At A Time
Overcoming anxiety and fears through gradual exposure is a form of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and is considered the most effect method of dealing with anxiety. The gradual, controlled exposure allows the person to face what is causing the anxiety a little bit at a time, and a little bit more each time. The more exposure they get, the more comfortable they will be as that setting or scenario will not only be familiar but they will also know that they can handle it. For social anxiety, a good first step is working on social interactions by role playing with a couple family members, and then some trusted friends. For a phobia, often doing research or watch a documentary on the subject can provide both safe exposure and facts to be used when controlling the perceived threat. Like everything else, it is important to remember that this will be a process, with ups and downs, and often starts out slower and builds gradually.
Read Also: Adhd And Asd Comorbidity
How To Handle An Autism Meltdown
Parents and clinicians will not be able to fully prevent every meltdown. If a child has gone past the point of no return, then its time to use strategies to calm the child down in order to prevent injury to themselves and to others.
- First, remove the child from the environment and the irritating stimuli if you feel that they could hurt themselves or others.
- Give them as much space as possible and keep bystanders from physically intervening
- Let go of all time constraints. Meltdowns need to be brought down slowly and with care.
- Stop talking. Sometimes the best thing a parent or clinician can do during a meltdown is to shut up and let the child process without your voice in the background.
- Slowly introduce calming objects one at a time.
- Once the child starts calming down and communicating with you , then the end is near.
Facts You Should Know About Autism
- Autism and related disorders are now referred to as autism spectrum disorders.
- Characteristics of autism include impaired development in social interaction, communication, and behavior.
- The degree of autism varies from mild to severe.
- Severely afflicted persons with autism can appear to have a profound intellectual disability. Research tends to continue to refute the idea that immunizations cause autism.
- The cause of autism is unknown.
- The optimal treatment of autism involves an educational or vocational program that is suited to the developmental level of the child or adult, respectively.
- It is important for the unique medical and mental-health needs of people with autism to be addressed in order to optimize both their life expectancy and quality of life.
- Persons with autism and those who care for them often engage in advocacy activities like the walk for autism during April, which is Autism Awareness Month.
Don’t Miss: Can Autism Be Passed Down
What Disorders Are Related To Asd
Certain known genetic disorders are associated with an increased risk for autism, including Fragile X syndrome and tuberous sclerosis each of which results from a mutation in a single, but different, gene. Recently, researchers have discovered other genetic mutations in children diagnosed with autism, including some that have not yet been designated as named syndromes. While each of these disorders is rare, in aggregate, they may account for 20 percent or more of all autism cases.
People with ASD also have a higher than average risk of having epilepsy. Children whose language skills regress early in life before age 3 appear to have a risk of developing epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. About 20 to 30 percent of children with ASD develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood. Additionally, people with both ASD and intellectual disability have the greatest risk of developing seizure disorder.
Helping People With Autism Manage Anxiety
About 40% of people with autism spectrum disorder also suffer from significant anxiety. This is the case even though anxiety is not a part of the criteria for diagnosing autismnor is it one of the descriptive options available for clinicians to use when describing a person’s autism. Anxiety can play a huge role in the lives of people on the spectrum, controlling the way they interact with the world, and limiting the ways in which other people interact with them.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find the cause of anxiety in a person with autism. Once it is identified, however, it is often possible to develop a set of tools that can reduce anxiety to a manageable level. This opens up a world of possibilities, including forming new interpersonal relationships, employment options, and community experiences.
Recommended Reading: Best Dog For Autism
Anxiety And Autism Disorders
Approximately 40 percent of children with an autism spectrum disorder also have an anxiety disorder . Anxiety can exacerbate symptoms of ASD making communication and social interactions increasingly difficult.
Helping a child with autism learn practical skills to manage his/her anxiety can improve quality of life by making self-regulation, forming friendships, and assessing and tending to his/her own needs more manageable. A combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, medications, and exposure therapy has been proven beneficial for many children with comorbid ASD and anxiety.
How To Recognize Reactions
Just as it’s challenging to predict the response of an autistic person, it can also be difficult to interpret autistic reactions to difficult emotions as these reactions may take different forms.
In some cases, reactions take the form of major temper tantrums, but other reactions can look very different. For example, they might take the form of:
- Screeching or other noise-making
- Bolting or eloping
- Intensive self-stimulation
- Self-aggression
- Aggression toward others
- Sensory avoidance
- Sensory seeking behavior
- Refusal to engage
- Compulsive behaviors such as touching the same objects in the same order over and over again
Some of these behaviors are actually attempts to self-calm. Others are simply physical manifestations of internal upset.
Also Check: Will My 4 Year Old Autistic Son Ever Talk
What Can Be Done Possible Reasons And Solutions For Disturbed Glucose Metabolism
Low or unregulated levels of glucose in the body or in the brain have been linked to various factors, many of which seem to play a role in autism. Those include inflammatory processes in the body and the brain, infections as well as autoimmune phenomena this article on the links between autoimmune encephalitis and autism, especially regressive autism.
Alternatively, some of the agents that control glucose metabolism might be promising for reducing aggression in autism and related disorders.
What Research Is Being Done
The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. The NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health , the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world. NINDS and several other NIH Institutes and Centers support research on autism spectrum disorder.
Nearly 20 years ago the NIH formed the Autism Coordinating Committee to enhance the quality, pace, and coordination of efforts at the NIH to find a cure for autism. The NIH/ACC has been instrumental in promoting research to understand and advance ASD. The NIH/ACC also participates in the broader Federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee , composed of representatives from various U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies, the Department of Education, and other governmental organizations, as well as public members, including individuals with ASD and representatives of patient advocacy organizations. One responsibility of the IACC is to develop a strategic plan for ASD research, which guides research programs supported by NIH and other participating organizations.
You May Like: What Is The Life Expectancy Of People With Autism
The Moment That No One Ever Talks About In Special
Today, Swenson is careful about what she posts on her , which has nearly 700,000 followers. Shes more forthright about caregiving realities in a closed, paid supporter group shes created on Facebook.
It feels like severe autism is the forgotten end of the spectrum. Its so hidden away for safety reasons, Swenson said. Kids like Cooper were institutionalized not that long ago just 30 to 40 years ago. That was the choice parents felt they had to make. If I dont share his story, how will kids like Cooper ever get the support they need?
Lamb, the mom of Charlie in Austin, Texas, said shes determined to keep sharing posts about her son online. She expects to deal with hostility as a result.
Other parents are starting to stay quiet online because theyre too afraid, but I cant do that, Lamb said. Ive found a strength I didnt know I had.
Watch TODAY All Day. Get the best news, information and inspiration from TODAY, all day long.
The balanced advice I would give parents is this: find parents who have children whose autism manifests the way your childs does, Robison said. Its not going to do you a lot of good to go to a Facebook group with people who arent dealing with those same things. Then try to meet those people for real, in real life not just on the internet.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
SSRI fluvoxamine is one of several agents that has been shown to reduce aggression in adults with autism. While the primary mode of action is most likely linked to direct regulation of serotonin signalling by fluvoxamine, the possibility that its positive effects in autism are linked to brain glucose metabolism cannot be discounted.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are known to improve glucose metabolism in the areas of the brain that are implicated in lack of inhibition and aggressive behaviours.
Read Also: Link Between Gestational Diabetes And Autism
Your Role As A Parent Of A Child With Autism
Your role as the parent of a child with autism and anxiety is to identify resources to help your child work through his/her anxiety and to exercise patience and love with your child even if you do not understand the struggles. You are your childs greatest support and your dedication to his/her wellbeing is so important. As your child begins the hard work of unpacking his/her anxiety, the triggers, and practicing coping skills, he/she will need someone who is a safe and calming presence.
Take the time to ask questions and listen with an open mind. If you dont understand why something triggers your child, thats okay. Anxiety is perplexing, and often the person managing anxiety wont have all the answers either. Showing up, validating your child, helping him/her to challenge his/her fears, and encouraging him/her to persist in the hard work involved with therapy is an invaluable gift.
Brain Glucose And Aggressive Behaviours
Self-control is the act of overriding an impulse, urge, or a desire to act out in a certain, undesirable way. Self-control helps humans to keep their feelings in check, including feelings of anger and aggressive urges.
Overriding aggressive impulses through self-control requires lots of energy, and that energy is provided in large part by glucose. Unfortunately, this energy is in limited supply and can run out. Low glucose levels can undermine self-control because people have insufficient energy to overcome unwanted urges, impulses and challenges.
Numerous studies have found a relationship between low glucose levels and poor self-controlWhen glucose levels are low, people have more difficulty controlling their attention, regulating their emotions, and overriding their aggressive impulses. Some evidence suggests that low glucose levels might even increase the risk of violent criminal behaviour, including spousal abuse Our study found that low glucose levels predicted aggressive impulses, which, in turn, predicted aggressive behaviorThus, low glucose levels might be one factor that contributes to intimate partner violence.
Research studies done in humans have provided evidence that low glucose levels in the brain can increase the risk of violent offending and aggression towards others, including close family members.
Recommended Reading: Good Doctor Actor Autistic
Anxiety In Autism Spectrum Disorder
The Autism and Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Program and the Anxiety and Depression Program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center :
Introduction
In recent history, autism has been identified in several gifted artists and scientists, although it is more generally associated with severe and impairing conditions. Today, we talk about autism spectrum disorder , a definition that recognizes the heterogeneity and complexity of a lifelong condition, whose symptoms fall into a continuum and account for large variations from patient to patient. A number of medical and psychiatric comorbidities ranging from gastro-intestinal and autoimmune disorders, to ADHD, depression, OCD and anxiety disorders, contribute to challenges in assessment and treatment of this condition, which requires a multidisciplinary approach. Although anxiety is not considered a core feature of ASD, anxiety disorders are the most common comorbid conditions in these patients. Because of the great impact on the course of the disorder, recognizing anxiety and treating it properly is particularly important for the well-being of these patients.
Core Aspects Of ASD And Their Clinical Presentation
When Do These Patients Seek Help?
How To Treat Anxiety In ASD. A Personalized Approach
Serotonin Cholesterol And Other Biological Factors Implicated In Aggression All Roads Lead To Glucose
Various neurotransmitters play a key role in aggression and violent outbursts, including serotonin, dopamine, and adrenalin.
Serotonin, for example, has an important role in regulation of feelings of anger and aggressive urges. Low levels of serotonin in the central nervous system have even been proposed to predict aggressive behaviours, with serotonin deficiency observed in individuals who engage in impulsive and violent behaviour.
We postulate that a functional serotonergic deficit may be conducive to poor impulse control, circadian rhythm and glucose metabolism disturbances, and that these disturbances are conducive of violent outbursts.
Glucose metabolism is thought to be an important factor in brain serotonin synthesis and signalling, via its role in cholesterol synthesis. Glucose is the basic building block for brain cholesterol, and reduced supply of glucose leads to reductions in the levels of brain cholesterol. Cholesterol, on the other hand, is a major factor that determines the levels and turnover of serotonin in the brain.
Low cholesterol and violent behaviour might be related to decreased serotonin transmissionwhich may lead to a poorer suppression of impulsive behaviour.
Many studies support a significant relation between low cholesterol levels and poor impulse, aggression and mood control. Evidence exists also for a causal link between low brain serotonin activity and these behaviors.
Also Check: What Is The Symbol For Autism
Does Tyler1 Have A Stutter
Yes, Tyler1 has a stutter, but he has mostly overcome it at this point and it is not always obvious however, there are times when his stutter gets worse and becomes apparent, especially when he is being passionate or emotionally upset about something.
Like in the face of many people who have stutters, Tyler1s stutter tends to get worse with emotion involved, but for the most part it seems to be okay, which is evident in how much talking he has to do.
There are also videos on youtube that are simply compilations of Tyler1s stuttering, likely because it is a significant thing that surprises people in someone who chooses to talk to others and yell or scream on video, and these videos may be found here, and here.
While there are videos of compilations of Tyler1 stuttering, it is not very nice to dwell on this or even come out and tease or bully someone about a stutter, because it is one of the most private and delicate things people experience, and making them feel conscious of it is a cruel thing to do.