When a child or teen with autism seeks mental health treatment, do doctors and psychologists ask about gastrointestinal problems? Perhaps they should, according to a new study that found a link between autism, GI problems, and mental health.
Behavior management and autism
Research on the subject may be limited, but children and adults with autism do not need to suffer silently with an anxiety disorder. Learn about anxiety treatments – medications and cognitive behavior therapy – for people on the spectrum with anxiety.
A new IAN Research survey is delving deeper into the elopement and wandering patterns of children and dependent adults with autism, and looking at the prevention strategies that caregivers implement.
Children are being diagnosed with autism at earlier ages than a generation ago, but still not as soon as they can be. Early diagnosis is important because it leads to early intervention, which lessens the challenges of autism. Find out how to seek a diagnosis and intervention for a child suspected of having autism.
Self-injury – hitting, scratching or biting oneself – is a particularly challenging behavior often found in autism. Find out what causes it, and what treatments can help.
Have you struggled to find a mental health provider with experience in autism? Some child psychiatrists say providers need more training in ASD.
Sarah, 12, arrived in a psychiatric unit wearing a helmet to protect her when she banged her head. She frequently hit, bit herself, and refused to eat. She couldn't communicate. Previous hospital and residential treatment stays failed to help her. Was the potent mix of puberty and her severe autism to blame?
Over the years, I’ve run into many absorbing, amazing, heartbreaking, and life-affirming films involving individuals with autism, their families, and the world at large. Included in my favorites are the films by Dan Habib. Don't miss these short films.
People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have many behaviors their families, teachers and other supporters find challenging. At the same time, children and adults with ASD often find the world at large a challenge, and the behavior of other people may be confusing to them.