Anxiety And Autism

Having a child given a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a very stressful event for parents. It is imperative to understand that there is much that can be done for both parent and the child. From the current literature we know that parents of children diagnosed with autism worry about many things like lifetime dependency to family dissonance. We know that these parents are distressed and angry, the parents of children with more unusual behaviors feel a lot more stressed than the parents of children with fewer unusual behaviors. However, having a strategy to approach it correctly and to get the best possible help for your child is probably the most important step, one can take to relieve stress and to aid the child’s development.

Specific data in regards to the individual’s social development and behaviour is collected. Inquiries about core ASD symptoms including, unusual, or repetitive behaviours and social relatedness are done, the family’s input is important.

Many of us have heard about Autism, also knows as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Some have a family member, a friend, or know someone who has ASD. Increasingly it is becoming a more common disability. “Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the U.S” (Autism Speaks). Autism has no respect for gender, race, social class and or ethnicity. “Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that involves abnormal development and function of the brain.” (Autism Center of Excellence) People who have autism have a lot of difficulties with social skills, communication and also will develop behavior issues. These behavior problems of an individual with autism can vary at times and can go from mild to severe. According to the Autism Science Foundation it says,” Many people with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, and reacting to different sensations. The thinking and learning abilities of people with ASD can vary—from gifted to severely challenged.” The causes and symptoms, as well as the diagnosis, and the treatments of autism vary.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. For grown-ups, an autism diagnosis may get alleviation terms of a clarification for their long lasting battles, for parents, the principal months in the wake of discovering that their youngster has a formative issue can be enthusiastic, confounding and testing. A kid 's autism diagnosis influences each individual from the family in various ways. Guardians/parental figures should now put their essential concentrate on helping their kid with ASD, which may put weight on their marriage, other

Autism has become an increasingly important public health concern as the number of yearly diagnoses of the disorder has increased since the late 20th century. The National Institute of Health estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States are classified as having an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (NINDS, 2009), a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs children 's ability to learn and causes issues with social interaction and communication. Symptoms of ASD include delays in speech and language, issues with social interaction, and unusual behaviors/routines.

Autism: It is a complex neuro – behavioral condition which is characterized by difficulty in communicating, forming relationships, usage of language, basic social skills, understanding concepts, repetitive behavior etc. Also, called ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) the severity or the degree of the same may vary from an individual to an individual. Autism may be summed up as a developmental disability manifesting itself during the first 3 years of a person’s life. It may be relevant to mention that NO two individuals with Autism will have exactly the same symptoms – would range from mild to severe.

Over the years, more people are becoming aware of Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD. The growing number of individuals who are affected by ASD have been increasing over the years. This could be do to the new DSM development of what is considered ASD or simply more children are being born with ASD. Either way, ASD is more predominate in our society today. ASD is defined in the DSM 5 as having abnormal social aspects, lack of social skills, non-verbal communications skills, deficits in development, lack of understanding of relationships, and self-stimulation through repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Although these are not all of the symptoms caused by ASD

While there are varying levels of stress in any type of relationship, studies have found that the parents of children with autism can often have elevated stress due to their child’s disability. A study done by Patricia A. Rao of the Kennedy Krieger Institute, and Deborah C. Beidel of the University of Central Florida, shows results of these parents having higher levels of stress that is linked to their child. The study was performed using surveys and questionnaires given to families, 15 as a control group and 15 that had children with autism. The researchers studied answers about many different parts of these families’ lives. With the level of parent stress this end was reached, “On the Parenting Stress Index, there was a significant between group difference in total parenting stress, with the [autism] group scoring significantly higher than the parents of normal controls” (Biedel, Rao 443). These different parents identified things such as demandingness, hyperactivity, need for a

ASD is a pervasive developmental disorder that consists of abnormal development and functioning of the brain. ASD may involve deficits in social behaviors, abnormalities in communication, cognitive delays, and repetitive behaviors (UC San Diego Autism Center of Excellence, 2016). ASD is a broad spectrum neurological disorder with a variety of symptoms affecting each individual differently (Debbaudt & Rothman, 2001). ASD involves severe impairments of reciprocal social interactions, impaired

Studies has shown that as an individual diagnosed with ASD grows they have an significantly increased risk of developing medical and psychiatric disorders which is contributed from the biological make-up of the individual (perkins et al, 2012) including dyslipidaemia gastrointestinal problem epilepsy hearing and visual impairments asthma hypertension heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. and autoimmune conditions throughout a varied age group (Croen et al, 2014).

The ability for families to remain strong and thrive during difficult, emotional experiences in raising a child with ASD is new to ASD literature (Whitehead, et al. 2015). Families show individual coping responses such as avoidance, disengagement, self-blame, denial, and emotional venting (Whitehead, et al. 2015). In comparison, action oriented strategies include planning, acceptance, and positive transformations (Whitehead, et al. 2015). The combination of behavior and emotional problems exhibited by children with ASD are major contributors to family and caregiver stress (Whitehead, et al.

One theory states that an individual with ASD has fewer neurons in the part of the brain called the amygdala http://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/amygdala.htm than an individual without an autism spectrum disorder does. The amygdala is the part of the brain that controls certain emotions, such as fear and anxiety. Another study finds that young children with ASD have larger amygdalae than children who do not have the

The insistence on sameness is a fundamental feature of ASD and is incorporated into diagnostic criteria. Clinical reports of individuals with ASD show that they react in an unusual way (they may feel stressed and anxious) to unpredictable change occurring in their environment. Such a crucial need for stability in individuals with ASD might arise from a dysfunction in the ability to predict events especially in an ever-changing world (Gomot and Wicker, 2012; Pellicano and Burr, 2012; Palmer et al., 2013; Lawson et al., 2014; Van de Cruys et al., 2014). Pathological restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests, rituals, and routines could represent attempts to regulate uncertainty by imposing sameness and order (Gomot and Wicker, 2012; Pellicano

Anxiety is a common mental health concern affecting children, and children with ASD are at a higher risk for anxiety and concurring mental health concerns (Reaven, Blakeley-Smith, Leuthe, Moody, & Hepburn, 2012; White, Ollendick, Scahill, Oswald, & Albano, 2009; Wood et al., 2015). Studies suggest that anxiety disorders occur in 2.2-2.7% of the general population of children, while reports suggest that children with ASD are reported to have anxiety issues as much as two times higher (Reaven et al., 2012; Scattone & Mong, 2013). Anxiety is associated with substantial functional impairment in children with ASD at home, school, and community environments (Reaven, Blakeley-Smith, Culhane-Shelburne, & Hepburn, 2011; Wood et al., 2015). Anxiety in children with ASD may lead to excessive worry, distress, inability to socialize effectively, isolation, and insufficient performance in school (Reaven et al., 2012; Weiss, Viecilli, & Bohr, 2014; Wood et al., 2015). Children’s anxiety symptoms may also change over time (Reaven et al., 2012).

The millions of anxiety disorders that go undiagnosed a year, can have severe repercussions if they go untreated. Anxiety is a feeling of worry or nervousness someone has towards a specific thing or event than can have an uncertain outcome, and people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), face this every day. Autism spectrum disorder is a group of developmental disorders that range on a spectrum of skills, levels of disability, and symptoms. Children and teens with autism are highly likely to develop anxiety disorders as they grow older and realize that they may not have complete control of their surroundings. There are many different anxiety disorders and they affect thousands of people with ASD a year.