- This is one of the most common types of disorders that is seen among children.
- The behavioral therapy is commonly offered to the child suffering from autism.
- The anxiety therapies for children having autism are needed to be treated with caution.
Autism is a kind of disorder that affects the developmental side of a person, and it affects social and communication skills. Irritability is the major symptom of autism, which complicates the adjustments in and around the person. The person may show various behaviors, such as hostility, outbursts, and a behavior that causes self-injuries. Such disruptive behaviors are mostly seen in children. Autism often affects their ability to mingle with others, and it also affects them while working or studying, either at school or at home.
According to medical science and research, the disease needs to be treated, and there are many new treatments that can be suggested for effective results.
Autism is categorized as a developmental disorder. The disease can affect the skills relating to social and communicational abilities. It requires the skills to balance the mind socially, while also dealing with the people around, either at home or at the work place. The main symptom that gets noticed when a person is suffering from the disease is irritability. The person gets irritated quickly, even for simple reasons. This symptom of autism is very complicated in nature, and sometimes the person becomes uncontrollably emotional.
The various treatments suggested for autism are:
Treatment for Associated Psychiatric Conditions
Autism treatments are mainly associated with psychiatric conditions. The treatments are described for the persons suffering from autism. However, most of the treatments described depend on individuals and need to be dealt with caution. Always consult with your doctor before treating the patient.
The person suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD), either a child or an adult, has a higher rate of psychiatric disorders. According to the research, it is found that autism can be dependent on a genetic basis with many other psychiatric disorders. It may also include attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as disorders for depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia. Also, about two-thirds of children suffering from autism are having one or more psychiatric disorders. The most common type of disorders that are seen among the children are obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety.
According to the experts, caution has to be taken while giving the treatment to children suffering from autism, because most of the healthcare professionals are not familiar with autism, and they tend to over-diagnose the patients having psychiatric disorders. This may be due to overlap between autism symptoms and those associated with psychiatric disorders.
Mostly, it is seen that the socially inappropriate comments are part of autism. Such behaviors are also part of bipolar disorder. Also, it is observed that the person suffering from autism can become emotional, and it can lead to difficulty in communication skills. It also leads the person to feel frustration. The experts and the professionals who are treating the children suffering from such disorders have to be careful and cautious. Without understanding the mindset of the children that have autism, the treatment cannot be given effectively.
Treatment also requires having an accurate diagnosis of mental health and the critical issues relating to it. The treatment part is very challenging, because the treatment is not similar to all the children suffering from the disease; it varies depending on the person’s mental condition, the severity of the disease, and also many other social and communicational issues.
The behavioral therapy is commonly offered to the child suffering from autism disease. The appropriate treatments are necessary, and it helps the individuals with ASD. Such treatments are particularly crucial while dealing with patients having suffered from psychiatric disorders. Sometimes it can worsen autism symptoms, and it might affect the child and reduce the benefits of the behavioral therapies. Also, if the appropriate behavioral therapy is utilized, then it may change the children's lives and bring positive changes in the behavior, and it could improve the situation and also the quality of life.
Understanding the child and treatment
The treatment, such as Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (AS-ATN), is offered to develop the most suitable guidelines that can help in diagnosis and also in treatment of individuals with psychiatric conditions related to autism. The journal Pediatrics has published several reports relating to the study of psychoactive medicines used in children and teens who have the disorder ASD; also, the journal has reported on the impact and treatment of ADHD.
It is also not easy to decide which of the studies regarding psychoactive medications in children can be applied effectively. The medication Autism Speaks ATN/AIR-P Medication Decision Aid is mainly developed for offering help to the individuals and to the group of persons suffering from the disease. The entire medication is in the form of a booklet and kit that offers complete help. The entire medication kit is available online, and it can be downloaded and used effectively. It is available freely.
Treatment on Anxiety
Anxiety is without question a serious issue that is part of the autism spectrum. According to the research, about 40 percent of the ASD-affected individuals have an anxiety disorder. It is one of the major issues that affects those with autism disorder. It can be categorized into socially-related phobia, separation anxiety, fear and panic disorder, and also various types of phobias, such as heights of the buildings, cockroaches, spiders, or noise.
Scientific studies suggest that children and adolescents having autism are prone to anxiety and other disorders. It is also the same with younger children having ASD. According to the medical reports, the individuals having high-functioning ability and having autism will have high rates of anxiety disorders.
For the people who are not suffering from an anxiety disorder, most of the individuals having autism find it difficult to control anxiety one it is triggered. The effects of the anxiety can be seen from lower end to higher end. The important fact about anxiety is that it can vary its range from infrequent, slight, and under control to out of control, which is the most severe attack. It is a state of getting emotional and feeling aggressive. The mild type of anxiety is a sign of positivity. It can be considered as a motivating force of action. The extreme anxiety can be due to being successful and more confident.
Recognizing anxiety in someone with autism
Most of the children having suffered from autism always express anxiety or the nervousness. The children can have fear of something around them. Some children can fear a particular subject or a particular activity. Some people feel anxious just because they might meet a new person.
Even the children suffering from either mild or severe anxiety may feel strong internal sensations of tension around them. It includes getting faster heart beats, getting muscular tensions, or having frequent stomachaches. The children suffering from autism can show a sudden feeling of many expressions. The person may show various signs and behaviors, such as holding cloth tight in the hands or pressing a hand on the table. The children try to keep calm while feeling aggressive. They try not to look in the eyes of the person when angry, or they try to harm themselves in the moment of anxiety.
Several types of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have been developed to address the anxiety in the children and teens having ASD. The studies regarding the behavioral therapy show that the treatment CBT is highly useful, mainly for the verbal individuals and for the persons without intellectual disability. A number of techniques that are essential in treating the individuals include discussing the negative actions by proper logic, asking the persons to role-play a situation, sharing the stories of moral courage, and helping the individuals to expose their fear of certain situations.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most promising therapies, and it is most suitable for treating depression in those with autism. None of the medications are approved by the FDA, but they are still considered as the most effectual medications that are highly in demand.
The depression is needed to be tested thoroughly among children or adults with ASD. Researchers have suggested that the individuals with ASD have higher risks of side effects from antidepressants. One of the most common side effects that is commonly found among the people is drowsiness, anxiety, and increased prickliness. Even restless leg syndrome and gastrointestinal problems are common. Most of the doctors and the physicians have reduced the risk of side effects by giving a smaller dose to the children suffering from autism. The medicines with higher side effects are given for 2 to 3 weeks. The medicine with side effects might influence the child, and it can add complications while treating the child for the disease. The medicines with higher side effects are sometimes dangerous, and they can make matters worse by adding difficulties to the existing problem. It is always advised that the medications which have higher influence on the patient and which completely control the patient’s behavior should be either avoided or should be given in small quantities. Such medications with heavy side effects can sometimes ruin the entire treatment by increasing the symptoms of the disease.
The disease is highly complicated, because it deals with young children who need to be treated with much care and caution.
The anxiety therapies for children having the disease are needed to be treated differently. They need a lot of encouragement, which helps the child in expressing his desires and sharing his feelings. The therapists have to play tricks with the child and make the child think and act. The child can be told to copy his favorite cartoon character and to act accordingly. You have to keep the child involved and intersperse conversations about the child’s passion. While treating the child, the training session can be conducted on a regular basis. The training session can be of 60 to 90 minutes, and it can be conducted on weekly or monthly basis, depending on the severity of the condition. The training program can include various activities, and it can help the child in being involved in the session. The therapist can add various forms of interactive sessions, which can help a child in feeling friendly and in expressing his or her true feelings without any fear or anxiety. At the end of the session, the therapist can give home assignments to the child and also ask the child to have his or her own ideas to include. The therapist can also use the help of parents, or he can involve parents in the training sessions. The overall training session that is mainly conducted for a single child can also be planned for a group of children suffering from similar issues. The therapy session can also be planned according to the requirements of individual children who are suffering from special disorders.
Medications for Anxiety
There are various medicines available for relieving anxiety, and these medications are highly effective and can be used in different combinations an in conjunction with counselling, while offering behavioral therapy or interventions. As per the rules of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the medications for anxiety are not approved by any medication for the treatment of anxiety in persons having autism. However, as per the drugs approved for treating the disorder of anxiety, the general population commonly uses these medications. The drugs are specially made of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac and Zoloft.
It is true that the biological roots of the individuals suffering from autism-associated anxiety may be different from that of anxiety in the general population. However, according to experts, the individuals with autism may show better results and quick responses if they are treated individually according to specific requirements. The treatments should be tailored to the individual and should be suitable for the individual's behavioral needs.
Medications for Depression
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most promising therapies that is most suitable for treating depression associated with autism. None of the medications are approved by the FDA, but they are still considered as the most effectual medications that are highly in demand.
The depression is needed to be tested thoroughly among children or adults with ASD. Researchers have suggested that the individuals with ASD are having higher risks of side effects from antidepressants. Some of the most common side effects that are commonly found are drowsiness, anxiety, and increased prickliness. Restless leg syndrome and gastrointestinal problems are most common. Most of the doctors and the physicians have reduced the risk of side effects by giving a smaller dose to the children suffering from autism. The medicine with higher side effects are given for a period of 2 to 3 weeks. The medicine with side effects might influence the child, and it can add complications while treating the child for the disease. The medicine with higher side effects is sometimes dangerous, and it can make matters worse by adding difficulties to the problem. It is always advised that the medications that have higher influence on the patient and that completely control the patient’s behavior should be either avoided or should be given in small doses. Such medications with heavy side effects can sometimes ruin the entire treatment by increasing the symptoms of the disease.