How Can Autism Affect My Child?

His Story of Autism

One of the best ways to share the autism experience is to share the story of someone who has autism. Perry’s experience is probably a lot like many other kids who have autism.  As his mother Mary Elizabeth recounts, “Our personal journey into…autism began…with the birth of our son, Perry. Since the beginning, he struggled immensely. The first thing we noticed was that he seemed very restless.”

There are many areas in a child’s growth that are directly impacted by autism. A few of these issues are gastrointestinal (GI) problems, feeding issues, disrupted sleep and anxiety.

GI Problems

According to the Autism Speaks and Interactive Autism Network websites, GI problems are very common among children with autism.  There seems to be more information and studies compiled on the link between autism and chronic constipation. However, there are several other GI problems associated with autism, such as: abdominal pain, gastroesophageal reflux and bowel inflammation.  According to Autism Speaks, GI disorders are about eight times more prevalent among children with autism than other children.

Feeding Issues

“[Perry] didn’t eat,” Mary Elizabeth continues to share in her story. Feeding issues are a concern for 7 out of 10 autistic children.  Feeding problems can take on many forms. Some children only want to eat certain foods and nothing else. Other children with autism suffer from a feeding disorder called Pica, the desire to eat non-food items. Moreover, there are also children who are chronic over-eaters. Some children with autism overeat because they can’t experience fullness, while others use over-eating as a soothing mechanism.

Disrupted Sleep

At least half of autistic children suffer from chronic sleep problems.  The number could even be as high as 80%, with four out of every five children being affected.  Perry’s mother Mary simply stated “He didn’t sleep.” Children with autism have a hard time just getting to sleep. Some parents spend hours trying to put them to bed.  Other children with autism get little REM sleep, the restorative sleep needed for a good night’s rest. In other sleep studies it was found that more children with autism suffer from sleep apnea as compared to the general population.

Anxiety

Mary Elizabeth goes on to say that from the start her son Perry “seemed very restless.”  Children with autism usually experience anxiety due to one or several phobias. One phobia is social anxiety, a fear of being around new people and crowds.  This in part explains why children with autism have a very hard time attending school. There are children with autism that suffer specific phobias such as a fear of bees, the outside, pets, etc.  This could be another reason why children with autism prefer the relative safety of being alone.

Resources

These four issues are only a handful of numerous challenges that children with autism face.  The good news is that there are ways to counteract, combat, or cope with these difficulties. Years of study and research have led to successful strategies that any parent can use to help their special child with autism. Given the proper support systems, many children with autism have experienced great improvements in these areas. Feel free to send us a message if you would like some guidance when building your support team.