Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder where children are delayed in their social, motor, and emotional skills. The cause of autism is not fully understood, however, it has been linked to genetic brain changes that lead to children having a different way of operating and viewing the world.
Autistic children normally struggle with verbal communication, can be delayed in walking and have trouble understanding and expressing emotion. Children with autism may also be resistant to hugs and other forms of physical affection. As children age, they may manifest other disorders that often accompany autism.
This article will focus on five other groups of disorders that go hand in hand with autism, including classical medical problems, gastrointestinal or sleep, developmental disorders, and mental health conditions. By being aware of these additional problems, you can be prepared if your child expresses any of the associated symptoms.
Classical Medical Problems
Classical medical problems include issues that are physiological alarming. Examples of medical problems include seizures, genetic abnormalities, and lead poisoning in children with pica.
Seizures are events where the body goes into a state of muscle contractions, or blank, empty stares. Multiple seizures can be considered epilepsy. Periodic seizures can be due to illness, fevers, or some other genetic issue that causes the brain to over excite. Seizures can be very scare for caregivers, and children may remember the seizure or recover and not know what happened. Some seizures can cause psychological and neurological damage, while others have minimal, if any impact. The range of seizures can make diagnosis and management difficult. If you notice your child having a seizure or spending various moments of time in a “stupor-like” state, then you may want to have them evaluated.
Pica is a disorder where children (or adults) eat things they are not supposed to like paint, coins, dirt, any non-food items. Sometimes they do this because they are anemic, but other times it may be a behavioral issue. Pica can be problematic if children eat anything that can cause bowel obstruction, or a blockage of the intestines. It can also be problematic if they eat paint that contains lead. Lead poisoning can have a host of issues including constipation, anemia, and brain disorders. It’s important to ensure nothing in your house has lead in it, and to monitor the child for inappropriate eating.
Developmental and Mental Health Comorbidities
Children with autism often require extra support in the classroom and with their homework. This is often due to developmental delays that make learning a little harder as they may not be at the same level as children in their classes. These children may also be a little slower to talk, read, and other developmental learning milestones.
Mental health issues can also play a large role. Disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), general anxiety, behavioral, and depression may also present.
ADHD is a behavioral disorder where children cannot sit still and focus on anything for too long. They are all over the place, and hard to manage in a classroom setting. ADHD diagnoses take place in a psychiatrist office, and usually require some sort of hyperactivity that is disruptive to the child’s life to take place in at least two settings (i.e. home and school).
General anxiety and depression are two common disorders that not only affect children with autism, but a large portion of the population. Anxiety is when children feel an overwhelming sense of doom or worry that normally is irrational and disruptive to their lives. Their anxiety becomes problematic when they refuse to go to school, cannot function because they are so worried about something, and are emotionally unstable.
Depression is a disorder where children feel little joy, under or over sleep and eat, and have little desire to do anything. Depression may be hard to recognize, but if children seem to have a prolonged sad mood, then it’s important to get them the proper help so they can continue through their other therapy and interventional sessions.
Sleep Problems
Sleep problems are an issue in autism because sleep is very important for growth and development. In children who already have delays in these areas, introducing additional barriers, such as a lack of sleep, will only set them back further in their therapy and learning. Sleep problems include insomnia, restlessness, and potentially snoring or airway obstruction if children have any risk factors for sleep apnea.
Insomnia is the inability to go to sleep and stay asleep, and can either have a cause (secondary) or no cause (primary). Children may lie awake in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep despite efforts.
Restlessness could just be a symptom of insomnia, or could be linked to another sleeping disorder like restless leg syndrome (RLS). RLS is a disorder where children feel the need to move their legs because of a tingling or itching sensation that can only be relieved by moving.
Gastrointestinal
Some gastrointestinal issues include feeding, nutrition problems, and digestion issues like constipation. Constipation can be really hard to identify in children with autism, especially non-verbal. Non-verbal children may have a hard time expressing issues with going to the bathroom and stomach pain. This problem can be exacerbated in children with lead poisoning as well.
If children are picky eaters, or have behavioral/physiological issues preventing them from eating a well-rounded diet, then they may have issues with getting adequate nutrition. It’s important that children get their micro and macro nutrients to help with their physical and neurological development.
Delays in Acquisition of Self-Help skills
The last comorbidity, or associated issue, is a delay in self-help skills such as using the bathroom, dressing, hygiene, and other skills to take of themselves. Most children begin to gain this independence around 2-3 and take full ownership of their habits by age 7-9. Children with autism may need additional support and monitoring for longer periods of time.
It’s important to identify and be aware of and identify these issues so if your child does start to exhibit them, you can reach out to your child’s pediatrician or primary care physician and get assistance immediately. Early intervention is best as it can minimize delays and disruptions in your child’s progress.
If you need help with day-to-day function, or have a child who is low-functioning autism, then we have services that may be of use. Please click our services button to see if we have anything that can assist your family.
Resources:
https://www-uptodate-com.ezproxy.shsu.edu/contents/autism-spectrum-disorder-in-children-and-adolescents-overview-of-management?search=autism&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=2#H16
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