There is a strong correlation between autism and trauma. In fact, research indicates that trauma can actually make ASD symptoms more challenging to live with.
Some individuals shared that they found it difficult to understand or explain their feelings which made it hard to communicate and talk about their experiences. Others shared that when they did discuss the impact of the trauma with others, it was minimised or not taken seriously.
“We've found that children on the autism spectrum often have difficulty talking about any traumatic experiences they might have had,” Dr. Hoover says. “Research shows they tend to minimize or deny their experiences and feelings.
Studies have indicated that left untreated, the symptoms associated with autism may worsen over time. LeafWing Center can help by providing treatment to your child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder through its ABA therapy program.
Autistic people might stim in order to reduce anxiety, so an increase in stimming could be a cause for concern. New self-harm behaviors, like head-banging or scratching, could also appear after trauma.
Fawning is an attempt to avoid conflict by appeasing people. They are both extremely common in neurodiverse people as it is a way for them to hide their neurodiverse behaviours and appear what is deemed to be “normal”.
People experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can become hypersensitive to their surroundings, which can lead to sensory overload. This means that sensory overload and PTSD can often co-exist. People who have PTSD have usually experienced one or more traumatic events.
Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism. However, with early intervention, therapy, and support, individuals with autism can manage these challenges and improve their quality of life.
Common life experiences such as facing the death of a loved one, failed romantic relationships, employment problems, etc., can exacerbate autism symptoms in adults. In these cases, autism symptoms can get worse with age, but not necessarily due to the disorder neurologically worsening.
Autism characteristics can change significantly from ages 3 to 11.
Studies suggest that children on the spectrum are up to three times as likely as their neurotypical peers to be targets of bullying and physical or sexual abuse. Such maltreatment can cause severe stress and trauma, yet it often goes unrecognized or unreported.
The researchers found that those children exposed to complications during childbirth were 10% likelier to develop autism while those who were exposed before labor were 22% likelier to develop autism.
“High-functioning autism” isn't an official medical term or diagnosis. It's an informal one some people use when they talk about people with an autism spectrum disorder who can speak, read, write, and handle basic life skills like eating and getting dressed. They can live independently.
There are many myths about what causes autism. Over the years, scientists have debunked many of these myths. The claim that MMR vaccines or childhood neglect are responsible for autism is not based on medical science.
One key finding was that children's symptom severity can change with age. In fact, children can improve and get better. "We found that nearly 30% of young children have less severe autism symptoms at age 6 than they did at age 3.
Level 3 is the most severe level of autism. People with level 3 autism have limited ability to speak clearly. Difficulty with both verbal and nonverbal communication makes it challenging to interact with others. This level of autism requires a higher level of support throughout life.
Another food to not feed your child with autism is corn. It is another food that promotes inflammation. This is due to the fact that corn is high in omega-6 fatty acids rather than good omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, corn is considered a grain, not a vegetable, therefore the nutritional value is low.
If you or a loved one has ASD, paying close attention to the foods being consumed is particularly important. For our patients with autism, we often recommend an elimination diet—eliminating gluten, dairy, sugar, corn, soy, and other categories of potentially allergenic foods for one month.
Many autistic people experience hypersensitivity to bright lights or certain light wavelengths (e.g., LED or fluorescent lights). Certain sounds, smells, textures and tastes can also be overwhelming. This can result in sensory avoidance – trying to get away from stimuli that most people can easily tune out.
For individuals with ASD, overstimulation can feel like an overwhelming flood of sensory input. This can manifest in a variety of ways, including physical discomfort, anxiety, irritability, or even physical pain. Some common signs of autistic overstimulation include: Covering ears or eyes.
The grounding technique is a first step in the healing process, as it uses your five senses to replace those that were over taken by trauma. Grounding techniques frequently utilize the five senses—sound, touch, smell, taste, and sight—to closely unite you with the here and now.
Children with autism do not take advantage of this kind of mimicry but instead, tend to repeat things almost unconsciously. These children find it difficult to control when to mimic and when not to. In some instances, they fail to mimic at all while others mimic excessively, such as in echopraxia or echolalia.
The Triad of Impairments:
People with significant difficulties in all 3 areas (social interaction, communication and imagination) may have ASD. However, there can be other reasons for difficulties in these areas.