Challenging behaviour in autistic children and teenagers refuse or ignore requests. behave in socially inappropriate ways, like taking their clothes off in public. behave aggressively. hurt themselves or other children – for example, by head-banging or biting.
In short, many autistics, especially as children and younger adults, sometimes do (or say) things that are considered inappropriate, if not downright offensive, simply because they are unaware of how objectionable such things are to most people.
People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.
The Triad of Impairments:
People with significant difficulties in all 3 areas (social interaction, communication and imagination) may have ASD.
Every autistic person is different, but sensory differences, changes in routine, anxiety, and communication difficulties are common triggers.
Children with autism display many abnormal behaviors that, while not essential to the diagnosis, cause serious distress for both the child and the family. Unusual eating habits, abnormal sleep patterns, temper tantrums, and aggression to self and to others are among the most common of these abnormal behaviors.
Emotional Immaturity
Often, autism makes it hard to manage feelings of frustration, fear, or anxiety. The outcome can be emotional outbursts sometimes known as “meltdowns.” Meltdowns are relatively common even among autistic people with low support needs.
Yelling at a child with autism can cause chronic levels of stress in the child and is not helpful in working towards a solution or strategy for change.
However, autistic meltdowns and angry outbursts are impulsive without any reasoning behind them. They are a sign that the child is no longer able to cope with the challenging situation, whether it's sensory overload or an unexpected situation.
Your child isn't being rude on purpose – they might not know they should say hello. Your child might start hitting something because a particular noise is upsetting them. Or your child might smear poo on the wall because they like the warmth and texture of it, not because they want to upset you or do the wrong thing.
In conclusion, there are many factors that can make autism worse. Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism.
Create A Structured Environment
Children with autism feel much more comfortable and connected when they have a set routine with clear structures, and minimal alterations from their predicted schedule.
Definition. Important considerations when diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in individuals with low mental age (low MA), defined as verbal and nonverbal functioning below a 12-month developmental level.
Abstract Some children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) exhibit low mental age (Low-MA), defined here as cognitive functioning below 12 months.
People on the spectrum may have trouble recognizing their own emotions, or they may feel emotions more intensely. “There might be some biological differences in the arousal systems in the brain,” Beck says.
The purpose of executive function within our brains is to manage tasks such as planning, organization, reasoning, multitasking, problem solving and behavior inhibition. People with autism, (as well as those with ADHD and other disruptive impulse-control and conduct disorders) often struggle with executive dysfunction.
Many autistic children need to feel they are in 'control' to make sense of the world and feel comfortable in their environment.
Negative symptoms in ASD are characterized by difficulty with common social behaviors in typical individuals, such as eye contact, flexibility of thinking, social involvement, name response, facial and verbal expression.
Sensory Issues
Many people with autism experience sensory processing disorder. This is more commonly known as sensory overload. Noise, crowds, bright lights, strong tastes, smells, and being touched can feel unbearable to someone with HFA. This makes going to restaurants, movies, and shopping malls difficult.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
Some children with autism are sensitive to specific foods such as casein, gluten, artificial sweeteners, and dyes (this is true of children without autism as well). Some children with autism, probably because of picky eating habits, have nutritional deficits that can be alleviated through supplements.
Autistic children and teenagers are sometimes oversensitive to things like noise, crowds or temperature. They try to avoid sensory experiences.