Many symptoms, including sleep disturbance, self-injury, social withdrawal, lack of eye contact, and flat affect, overlap with autism. There may be many reasons for a connection between autism and depression, such as social isolation, social comparison, and dysregulated emotions. The Center for Disease Control estimates that depression affects about 26% of people with autism compared to 7% of the general population. Learn more: watch Anxiety and Autism presented by Amy Keefer, PhD, ABPP of the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Recently, the Autism Research Institute was instrumental in publishing the book Understanding and Treating Anxiety in Autism (2021, Jessica Kingsley Publishers). Up to 84% of individuals with autism may suffer from anxiety (White et al., 2009), including generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, social anxiety, phobias and fears, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.Īnxiety may impair sleep and appetite and lead to irritability, repetitive movements, insistence on sameness, severe tantrums, and self-harming behavior. Gastrointestinal and immune function disorders.Unfortunately, medical conditions are not always observable, and many individuals on the spectrum cannot describe their discomfort or pain.Ĭommon underlying medical conditions include: Although such treatments may reduce or eliminate these challenges, the child will likely continue suffering from constipation. For example, for a child suffering from severe constipation, physicians or therapists may focus on treating behavioral symptoms associated with discomfort, such as aggression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, and prescribe anti-anxiety or antipsychotic medications, sensory interventions, or behavioral interventions strategies. Co-occurring medical conditions can be challenging to diagnose, particularly so for patients with autism since the core symptoms and communication differences can mask specific underlying medical problems.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |