The renowned autism expert Tony Atwood is fond of
putting it this way: “Autism is anxiety looking for a target.”
Autism and anxiety go hand-in-hand. Autism affects a person’s
ability to communicate with others or to understand the world around
him, and that’s bound to cause anxiety and panic sometimes.
Anxiety becomes even worse when there is a change in the autistic
child’s routine. Even positive and “fun” changes, like a school
field trip or a visit to the zoo, can increase anxiety and
aggressive behaviors.
For parents, the best course of action is to
anticipate upcoming changes and help your child prepare for them.
Many parents find it helpful to use stories and pictures to prepare
children for impending disruptions. If it’s a field trip to the zoo,
for example, use pictures to show your child what he’ll see at the
zoo, what the zoo will be like, and what sort of things to expect.
Do this each day for three or four days prior to the trip. That way,
when the trip actually happens, the child won’t be entirely out of
his element, but will already understand and appreciate some of what
will be happening.
Other changes in the routine are less enjoyable but still necessary.
Getting a new teacher can be traumatic, as can moving to a new
house. If at all possible, try to spread out the major changes. If
you move to a new house, try to do it during the summer, so that
your child won’t have to deal with the added anxiety of getting a
new school and new teacher mid-year.
You can also introduce your child to the concept of “change” in a
positive way by practicing with non-negative things. For example,
just for practice, give him a little extra TV time instead of
homework time one night, to show that changes in the routine can
often be fun and good. Then practice with a neutral change (homework
after dinner instead of before dinner), then with a negative one
(changing play time into chore time). This process can help your
child grow accustomed to the idea of change and learn to adapt
without becoming anxious.
For continual, ongoing anxiety, many parents have begun using
anti-anxiety medications for their autistic children. Usually, the
medications are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and
are also used for obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.
Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft and Anafranil are all common for anxiety in
autistic children.
For behavioral problems, antipsychotics such as Haldol, fluphenazine
and chlorpromazine can be prescribed. These can reduce aggression in
autistic kids, but sometimes also cause sedation and muscle
stiffness.
All patients are different. You and your doctor should monitor your
child’s progress very closely, using the lowest dose of medication
possible, to see if what improvements it makes and whether there are
any adverse reactions. Medication should be the last resort for
autism, not the first one. There are a number of natural remedies
available if you don’t want to go down the drug route. But try
behavioral and dietary modifications first, to see what improvements
can be made naturally.
There are many more resources and information about diagnosing,
controlling and treating Autism in, The Essential Guide To Autism.
Recent studies have shown that there is
currently a worldwide autism epidemic. In fact, more than 1.5
million people are affected in the United States alone, with one in
every 250 children diagnosed.
It's true that early detection and early treatment are the two key
factors in improving prognosis -- but too often parents get bogged
down in denial or confusion about this still mysterious disorder,
and are unable or unwilling to take the necessary steps.
The Essential Guide to Autism contains advice and information that
will help you make the right treatment decisions for your child.
Today, many youngsters can be helped to attend school alongside
their peers. Some programs are demonstrating that with appropriate
support, many people with autism can be trained to do meaningful
work and participate fully in community life.
All of the materials on this site have been included for the purpose of
providing general information, and they should not be relied on as a
substitution for professional advice.
