What is autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong developmental condition
Around 700,000 individuals have ASD. Early intervention gives families the best opportunity to support healthy development.
Current diagnostics recognise the spectrum as being indicative of a range of symptoms and abilities that can be mild, moderate or severe with or without additional learning difficulties, mental health conditions or other support needs.Gender differences have been highlighted as girls tend to mimic social behaviours more readily than boys and this does make early diagnosis in girls more difficult and often not as apparent until the onset of puberty.
Signs & Symptoms Of ASD
Signs of Autism (ASD) in children & teenagers
Social Interaction
Area one
- Experience difficulties making and maintaining friendships
- Prefer to spend time alone than with friends
- Feeling like they ‘don’t fit in’
- Might have difficulty recognising inappropriate behaviours and topics of conversation
Communication
Area two
- May have difficulties with verbal and non verbal communication
- Reduced ability to recognise social cues or body language
- Find it had to follow and taking part in conversations
- Might find following instructions challenging
Interests & Behaviours
Area Three
- Having unusual interests or obsessions
- Compulsive behaviour
- Develop attachments to objects or people
- Find changes upsetting
- Displays of repetitive body movements
Other Difficulties
We also see the following in children with Autism
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Aggression
- Difficulty with sleep
- Difficulty eating
What is Pathological Demand Avoidance?
PDA is a condition that can be viewed as part of ASD or appears separate from ASD with similarities
The main aspect that people with PDA struggle with is the extreme and heightened anxiety that is created by both internal and external demands on their time and attention. This heightened anxiety and fear can translate into, what appears to be out of control and angry behaviour, but what the individual is trying to communicate is how out of control they feel. The strategies that may work ordinarily will be less effective with this cohort of people and for each person with PDA, it is about helping you as a person or as a family, find a more cohesive and ordered way of managing the emotions and behaviours that arise.
ASD In Adolescents
Teenagers with Autistic Spectrum Disorder can find that their understanding of life is limited to their own world view
This can result in confusion, anxiety, depression and a feeling of not understanding why you are ‘different’. We can work with you to learn an understanding of your emotions, other’s emotions, how to manage and tolerate distress and how to learn to engage in effective communication with others.
Family Support
Family therapy can be a part of what you as a family need to enable you to gain acceptance of your child’s differences and qualities.
We offer behavioural work with children and their families, as often, we learn how to raise neurotypical children, but we are not prepared for the changes and adaptations that we need to make when raising a child with ASD or PDA.
Family therapy can be a part of what you as a family need to enable you to gain acceptance of your child’s differences and qualities. We work towards parents being able to communicate more effectively with their child, being able to understand the way your child thinks and views the world and giving your child an understanding and insight in how you view and interpret the world.
Learn how to understand and manage your child’s ASD diagnosis.
At Home Counties Therapy we’re to provide the support and guidance needed to understand how to manage your child’s diagnosis.
Reach out to us today to speak to us confidentially and to discover how about the support we can offer you and your little one.
