Autism or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) is a complication in children that causes behavioral and communication disorders. It is generally identified and diagnosed at the early stage of toddlerhood.
Children with such neurological and developmental disabilities face several social and mental challenges. One such challenge is anxiety which can affect children and teenagers with autism even more.
Here is a brief discussion about anxiety in autistic children and its every single aspect.
How Does Anxiety In Autistic Teenagers Look Like?
Anxiety is a neurological phenomenon that might affect mental health and social interaction. Moreover, it is a worrying or fearful feeling that can appear in autistic kids as all the other kids. But, they also feel stressed or worried about things that are less significant to worry about for other children.
Such as the slightest change or discrepancy in routine, unpredictable gathering, unfamiliar physical signs, and many more. Thus, anxiety affects children with autism more than children with normal development.
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Autistic children might feel stressed or worried about the things which are less worrying for typically developing children. These include things like:
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Cause Of Anxiety In Autistic Toddlers And Teens
Everyone is different, having separate symptoms. Also, Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, and anxiety, on the other hand, is a mental disorder. Therefore, it is hard to specify particular reasons for anxiety in ASD patients.
Nevertheless, it is believed to be the area of the human brain that involves emotion, especially fear and stress. Alongside, several social factors like behavior towards autistic children can cause anxiety too.
Signs And Symptoms Of Anxiety in Children With ASD
The signs of anxiety are quite similar to the symptoms of autism. Additionally, autistic teens and children cannot identify their own worries or stress. Therefore, they are usually unable to tell or express their anxiousness except for symptoms.
Some major symptoms of stress are as follows:
- Obsession with consistency and sameness
- Insisting to stick to their daily routine
- Resisting the smallest change or unfamiliarity
- Stimming or making unusual repetitive noise and movement
- Outrage or outburst of emotions
- Self-harm like head banging, scratching their own skin, etc.
- Sensory sensitivities or being triggered by bright light, noise, color, etc.
- Sweating hands
- OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Social anxiety from judgment or thoughts of others
- Fear from separation
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How do help autistic children recognize their own anxiety issues? The autistic child has to understand how anxiety feels within the body and the brain. If he/she feels anxious you will see the following things:
Now, what you can do is draw an outline of the person’s body and show the above symptoms. |
Treating Anxiety in Children And Teens Suffering From ASD
As said previously that no one is alike when it comes to anxiety. But recognizing some common factors and signs in kids with ASD helps in the treatment. Early treatments as follows can often help tame anxiety in such children.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a small phase to say it all. CBT includes many small steps as follows:
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Calming And Relaxing Strategies
It may include slow counting of numerics, slow and steady breathing practice, small physical exercise, eye exercise, etc.
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Awareness In Autistic Child To Recognise Anxiety
Teach your autistic kid to recognize their small anxiety symptoms which are easy for them to remember. Tell them when they must know they are anxious, like when their hand sweats, faster heartbeat, or unusual feeling in their stomach. Read more: Online News Buzz, Real Wealth Business.
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Letting Kids Practice Stressful Moments
Let your kids face situations to get stressed and deal with it to learn how to combat the anxious feeling. Stay around to monitor them and help them out when it is needed.
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Meditation Over Medication
Meditation helps the most in relaxing and overcoming the stress of children with autism.
Roles Of Parenting In Anxiety Treatment
Treating anxiety with parenting is also vital. Parents can take the following steps such as:
- Teach them about courageous behavior.
- Reward and encourage them for attempting and accomplishing brave activities.
- Talk about confidence and channel the same to them.
- Discuss how to cope with unusual situations.
The Closing Notes
To summarize, autistic teenagers and children can experience anxiety more intensely and more frequently than the other kids. However, anxiety management starts with the identification of anxiety triggers and recognition of anxious feelings. Read more: Tech Mag News, Plus Lifestyles, World Tech24, Proudly Updates, Worthy To Share, True Health Tips.
I hope, this guide has helped you in solving your doubts about autism and anxiety in teens. Stay tuned with us for further updates in the future.
Author Bio
Alisha Jones is an online entrepreneur by profession and a passionate blogger by heart. She is on a mission to help digital businesses grow online. She shares her journey, insights, and experiences at Wp Blogger Tips, Online Marketing Tools, Blog Stellar, and Mashum Mollah.