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Anxiety in older children with Autism

Anxiety_ASD_Autism_BehaviourManagement

There are many co-morbid conditions that occur in children with Autism. The single biggest issue however remains to be anxiety in the child, which can take over practically all the facets of the child’s life. This anxiety gets expressed by the child in the form of certain behavioral traits (For example, bouts of anxiety when waiting at the airport). One solution to reduce anxiety associated with this is to prepare the child of the series of events before hand in order to avoid the behavioral repercussions on the day of travel. 

Other co-morbidities the child may experience include mood disorder (in older children), psychosis, and hallucinations (both visual and auditory in nature).

Parent must learn and anticipate these psychiatric co-morbidities that occur, and seek appropriate guidance to manage them.

But remember, the core problem of Autism has more to do with social communication. Autism co-morbidities are symptoms of a very complex biologically determined behavior disorder called Autism.  Hence, address all symptoms from a behavior management standpoint.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for safe management.

Co-morbidities seen in younger children with Autism

Autism_ASD_Comorbidity_SPeechdelay_Sensoryissues_LanguageDevelopment

Speech delay, language disorders, sensory issues are some common co-morbidities observed in younger children with Autism. Further, Autism is a behavior disorder of regulation, which causes challenges in the way bodily functions carry out their respective roles. Poor regulation/control of basic bodily functions, such as chewing, eating, sleeping or defecating is also a common challenge that younger kids on the spectrum often face. The intellect and IQ of the child may also be affected, but, eventually the child can definitely learn to do well if parents are made aware of ways to help him regulate his behaviors in everyday life.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for safe management.

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