Month: February 2022

Among the main challenges that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families face are meltdowns and outbursts.

These problems could cause physical, verbal, and emotional damage, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t control them.

In fact, this article was written to help you understand what outbursts, temper tantrums and meltdowns are, their common signs, how you should handle them when they occur, and what you need to do to prevent them from happening, in the first place.

What is a meltdown/outburst?

When autistic children find themselves in a stressful or overwhelming situation, they may become unable to well regulate emotions in themselves and their sentiments. A meltdown or outburst is an intense response to these feelings.

To clarify, meltdowns and outbursts aren’t necessarily bad habits. Instead, they are merely ways for children with autism spectrum, to express themselves when they don’t know how to do so in other ways.

What do outbursts look like?

After losing control of their emotions, your autistic son or daughter may have a verbal or physical outburst (or both).

Here are the characteristics of each:

• Physical Outbursts: Your child might engage in biting, hitting, kicking, and other physically-aggressive actions.
• Verbal Outbursts: Similarly, your kid could cry, scream, and/or shout.

Since meltdowns and aggressive outbursts can cause bodily, material, and emotional harms, you should keep an eye on their main signals and indicators. This allows you to prevent a meltdown before it happens.

Signs of an Outburst

Most of the time, an autistic child’s behavior will give you cues that they’re distressed and about to experience a meltdown.

The following outburst signs are common:

• Anxiety
• Asking repetitive questions as a way to get reassurances
• Pacing
• Rocking
• Staying very still

Once you identify these symptoms, you need to intervene and prevent the meltdown from happening.

What to Do When Your Autistic Child Is Having an Outburst

There are two aspects that you should focus on when addressing your son or daughter’s aggressive behavior or potential outburst.

Firstly, after you spot the main signs, you must manage them by doing the following:

• Ask if They’re Okay: A simple question like “are you okay?” could provide you with plenty of answers. However, keep in mind that some autistic kids might need time to give a response. 
• Give Them Space: This entails physical and mental space. For example, you may want to take your kid to a quiet and safe area that they’re comfortable with. In the same vein, turning down the music and/or lights can psychologically calm the child down.
• Give Them Time: Whenever your son or daughter suffers from a sensory or information-related overload, you should give them enough time to recover and recuperate.

Secondly (and equally as important) is knowing what the triggers of an outburst or meltdown are so that you can eliminate them and prevent one from happening. Here are a few prevalent triggers:

A Change in The Child’s Routine

It is very easy for autistic children to feel unsettled when they have to follow a schedule that they’re unfamiliar with.

Therefore, you may want to gradually make changes to their routine while keeping a close eye on their symptoms as you do so.

Communication Difficulties

Simply put, many kids with ASD have a hard time when they communicate with others and are likely to be misunderstood.

By working with your son or daughter on their communication skills and identifying the signs that they’re struggling to express themselves, you can cater to their needs and stop an impending meltdown in its tracks. 

Sensory Challenges

The brains of autistic kids are wired differently than their neurotypical counterparts. As a result, they may run into issues that impact their senses and the way that their body responds to sounds, lights, and other aspects in their environment.

This means that intense senses or sensory overload, such as loud noises and bright lights, might trigger an outburst or meltdown.

As a parent, you want to know what your child’s sensory triggers are in order to minimize their effect on their conduct.

At the end of the day, you should always remember that autism outbursts aren’t bad or aggressive behaviors in of themselves. Instead, they are verbal and physical actions that your child may engage in when they don’t know how to express themselves.

By identifying and managing an outburst’s signs, alongside eliminating its triggers, you can effectively prevent future meltdowns from occurring and help your autistic son or daughter communicate in a calmer and better manner.

Calming techniques for autism outbursts

Calming techniques for autism outbursts can be highly individualized and dependent on the person’s unique needs and preferences. However, several strategies are commonly recommended by experts and found to be effective in many cases:

1. Use Sensory Objects: Objects that engage the senses, such as stress balls, fidget spinners, or weighted blankets can help individuals with autism self-regulate and calm down.
2. Provide an Escape: Offering a safe and quiet space where the individual can retreat during a meltdown can be helpful. This escape plan can help them regain control over their emotions.
3. Simple Exercises or Routines: Developing simple exercises or routines that are calming can be beneficial. These could include deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation techniques, or even listening to calming music.
4. Tactile Comforting Techniques: If physical contact is acceptable, comforting techniques like hugs, a favorite plush, or a cozy sweater can create a safe and comfortable environment.
5. Heavy Work Activities: These types of activities, which involve pushing, pulling, or carrying heavy items, can provide beneficial sensory input and promote calmness.
6. Preferred Sensory Activities: Engaging in activities that the individual particularly enjoys, such as swinging or jumping on a trampoline, can also be calming.
7. Relaxation Techniques: Methods such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga have been found to be effective in managing emotions and behaviors in individuals with autism.

How ABA therapy can help autism outbursts

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is an evidence-based intervention widely recognized for its effectiveness in helping individuals with autism, including managing outbursts. Here are some ways ABA therapy can help with autism outbursts:

1. Reinforcing Positive Behaviors: The primary objective of ABA therapy is to reinforce desirable behaviors and decrease harmful or disruptive ones. By doing so, it can help children improve their communication, social skills, and self-control, which can result in fewer outbursts.
2. Reducing Aggressive Behaviors: Research shows that ABA therapy can effectively reduce aggressive behaviors in many cases. This is achieved by teaching alternative, healthier responses to situations that typically trigger aggression.
3. Improving Communication and Social Skills: Many outbursts in children with autism can stem from frustration over difficulties in expressing their needs or understanding others. ABA therapy can help improve these skills, thereby reducing the frequency and intensity of outbursts.
4. Personalized Approach: ABA therapy is tailored to each individual’s needs and abilities. This personalized approach ensures that the strategies used are the most effective for each child, taking into account their unique challenges and strengths.
5. Evidence-Based Treatment: ABA employs evidence-based treatments, meaning the techniques and strategies used have been scientifically proven to be effective. This gives families confidence in the therapy’s ability to bring about positive change.

In conclusion, ABA therapy, through its focus on reinforcing positive behaviors and reducing negative ones, personalizing treatment, and improving communication and social skills, can significantly help manage autism outbursts.

If your child with autism is struggling with anxiety then you are reading the right article. 

Anxiety can be mild or severe and it is very common in children with autism to struggle with it.

In this article, we will explain what anxiety is, list some of its common symptoms, and explore the reasons why children with autism struggle with it.

We will also discuss some treatment options to give you some actionable tips for stopping your child’s anxious episode.

What is anxiety?

So, what is anxiety? According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health issues in the world affecting over 40 million adults in the United States alone.

Autistic children often struggle with anxiety. In fact, recent studies have suggested that 40-80% of autistic children will experience an anxiety induced episode.

Signs of Anxiety

So what are the signs that your child is struggling with anxiety?

According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of anxiety include:

• Restlessness: Constant moving, pacing and fidgeting.
• Feeling on edge: A sense of feeling like something bad is going to happen and that it could happen at any time.
• Irritability: Your child may get angry easily,
• Muscle tension: You may notice your child clenching their hands or jaw.
• Difficulty concentrating: Your child may have a hard time focusing on anything or completing tasks.
• Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
• Eating problems: Your child may not eat enough or they may overeat.
• Panic attacks: Sudden feelings of terror, shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness.

• Avoidance of everyday activities: Avoiding school, work and social situations out of worry and fear

If you notice your child struggling with these symptoms, it may be time to contact a therapist or doctor.

Types of anxiety disorders

Sure, here are the different types of anxiety disorders as classified by the American Psychiatric Association:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This disorder is characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.
2. Panic Disorder: People with this condition have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly without warning. Other symptoms of a panic attack include sweating, chest pain, palpitations, and a feeling of choking.
3. Phobia-related Disorders: These involve a persistent and excessive fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that is generally not harmful. Patients know their fear is excessive, but they can’t overcome it.
4. Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia): This is an intense fear of social situations, leading to avoidance of such. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of doing things that will embarrass them.
5. Separation Anxiety Disorder: This is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that’s excessive for the child’s developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles.
6. Selective Mutism: This is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child’s inability to speak and communicate effectively in select social settings, such as school.
7. Agoraphobia: This is an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of anxiety in situations where the person perceives their environment as unsafe with no easy way to escape.
8. Substance/Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder: This is characterized by panic or anxiety symptoms that are a direct result of abusing drugs, taking medications, being exposed to a toxic substance, or withdrawal from drugs.
9. Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition: Anxiety or panic is the direct physiological consequence of a physical health problem.
10. Other Specified Anxiety Disorder and Unspecified Anxiety Disorder: These are terms for anxiety or phobias that don’t meet the exact criteria for any other anxiety disorders but are significant enough to be distressing and disruptive.

Remember, if you or someone else has symptoms of an anxiety disorder, it’s important to seek help from a healthcare provider. They can help determine if the symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder, some other medical condition, or both.

Why do children with autism spectrum disorder struggle with anxiety?

There are many reasons why autistic children struggle with anxiety.

Some of the most common include:

Lack of social skills

 Autistic children may not know how to interact with others which can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. This can also cause them to feel anxious about upcoming events where they will have to socialize.

Sensory overload

Autistic children often struggle with sensory overload. This is when they are overwhelmed by too much noise, light, or touch. This can cause them to become anxious and agitated.

Unpredictability

Autistic children thrive on routine and order. When things change or are unpredictable it can cause them to feel anxious and afraid.

Bullying: Autistic children are often targeted by bullies because of their differences. This can lead to a lot of emotional distress and anxiety.

common anxiety triggers in children with autism

Children with autism often experience anxiety, which can be triggered by various factors. Here are some common anxiety triggers:

Changes in Routine: Children with autism often thrive on routine and predictability. Any changes, even minor ones, can lead to anxiety.

Social Situations: Social interactions can be overwhelming and confusing for children with autism, causing anxiety.

Sensory Overload: Loud noises, bright lights, or crowded places can overstimulate a child with autism and trigger anxiety.

Communication Difficulties: Struggling to express their thoughts and feelings can cause anxiety in children with autism.

Fear of Failure or Making Mistakes: This fear can lead to anxiety, especially in school or other performance-based situations.

Transitions: Moving from one activity to another can be stressful and trigger anxiety.

Separation Anxiety: Being away from familiar people or places can cause anxiety.

New Environments: Unfamiliar surroundings can be scary and lead to anxiety.

Physical Discomfort: Issues like hunger, tiredness, or illness can trigger anxiety.

Unpredictable Events: Unexpected incidents or surprises can be stressful and induce anxiety.

Remember, every child with autism is unique and may have different triggers. Understanding these triggers can help in managing their anxiety effectively.

Treatment options for anxiety in autistic children

So what are the treatment options for anxiety in autistic children?

There is no one size fits all answer to this question because different things work for different people.

However, there are some common treatment options that can help your child reduce their feelings of anxiety. These include:

• Behavioral therapy: With behavioral therapy,your therapist will teach you and your child techniques to manage stress and anxiety in everyday life.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This type of therapy helps your child to change the negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to their anxiety.
• Medication: If your child’s anxiety is severe, medication may be necessary. There are a variety of medications that can help treat anxiety including antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs.
• Talk therapy: In talk therapy, your therapist will help your child explore and understand their thoughts and feelings about anxiety.
• Support groups: Joining a support group can be helpful for both you and your child. This is a place where they can share their experiences with others who are going through the same thing.
• ABA therapy: ABA or Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy is a type of therapy that helps your child with communication and learning skills and can help modify anxious behaviors.
• Relaxation techniques: Teaching your child relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, tai chi and mindfulness can help them to calm down when they feel anxious.

Tips for helping your autistic child during an anxious episode

So how can you help your child during an anxious episode?

The most important thing is to stay calm. When you notice them becoming upset, try to be reassuring and encouraging. You may want to hold their hand or give them a hug depending on their sensory needs. Try not to force anything on them that they don’t want during their anxiety attack. 

It can also be helpful to have a plan in place for when your child has an anxious episode. This may include having a safe place for them to go to, an electronic device to distract them, and other calming activities such as deep breathing exercises or listening to music.

visual tools to help a child with autism and anxiety

Visual tools can be incredibly effective in aiding children with autism to understand, communicate, and manage their anxiety. Here are some visual tools that can be used:

1. Visual Schedules: These provide a clear outline of the day’s activities. This can help reduce anxiety by providing predictability and structure.
   
2. Social Stories: Developed by Carol Gray, these are short descriptions of a particular situation, event or activity, which include specific information about what to expect in that situation and why.
   
3. Emotion Cards: These cards have pictures of different emotions which can help the child identify and express their feelings.
   
4. Visual Timers: These timers provide a visual countdown to transitions, helping the child prepare for the change.
   
5. Choice Boards: These boards help children communicate their preferences visually, reducing frustration and anxiety.
   
6. Calm Down Kit Visuals: These visuals guide the child through calming techniques like deep breathing or counting.
   
7. Break Cards: These cards allow the child to communicate when they need a break, which can prevent meltdowns and reduce anxiety.
   
8. Traffic Light System: This system uses the colors red, yellow, and green to help the child express their comfort level in a situation.
   
9. First-Then Boards: These boards visually depict that ‘first’ a certain task needs to be completed, ‘then’ a preferred activity can be enjoyed.
   
10. Visual Rules and Expectations: Clear visuals of rules and expectations can alleviate anxiety by clarifying what behavior is expected.
    

Remember, it’s crucial to introduce and use these tools in a supportive and positive way to ensure their effectiveness. It may be beneficial to seek advice from a therapist or specialist to find the right tools for your child’s needs.

Conclusion

Anxiety is a common problem for autistic children, but there are things you can do to help. From therapy to medication to relaxation techniques, there are many options available to help your child manage their anxiety.

Remember to stay calm and be supportive during an anxious episode, and have a plan in place so you know what to do when things get tough.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) causes a host of neurological and physical symptoms. One of the most noteworthy ones pertains to food sensitivities.

This article was written for parents that want to assist their children with autism with overcoming eating difficulties, choosing an appropriate diet, and maintaining healthy bodily levels of nutrients and vitamins.

Common Medical and Nutritional Challenges for Kids with Autism

Children with autism typically experience medical issues that impact their gastrointestinal (GI) tract and nutrition.

Firstly, if you suspect that your ASD-diagnosed son or daughter has a GI problem, you want to keep an eye on these symptoms:

• Abdominal distention (which can lead to eating too much or constipation without having an underlying sickness)
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Discomfort in the stomach or GI tract
• Fecal impaction (constipation patients are more likely to develop this condition)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Leaky gut syndrome
• Regurgitation of food (this entails spitting out or emitting it after it enters the stomach, even if the child doesn’t have an illness or health condition that may cause this)
• Releasing gasses excessively

Additionally, your child with autism could run into the following nutritional shortcomings:

• Allergies
• Intolerance towards certain foods
• Problems with eating or being fed

As a parent, you can minimize the effect of these health issues by feeding your child meals with specific ingredients while avoiding others.

Autism Diet

Since each kid with autism spectrum disorder is different, it is difficult to define a particular diet that suits every person that has ASD.

Nonetheless, you will probably provide your son or daughter with relief by making dietary changes that omit the following ingredients and food items:

• Casein proteins (you should consider a casein-free diet for your child, which leaves out milk, whey, and additional nutrients that are high in casein)
• Eggs
• Fish
• Gluten (a gluten-free diet excludes several types of grains)
• Individual proteins, namely casein, gluten, and others
• Peanuts
• Seafood
• Soy
• processed foods

Why does removing these foods work?

Some of the proteins and ingredients that we listed above could create inflammation in the gut and stomach. In turn, this might lead to further problems in the GI tract and organs.

You may prevent this from happening when you identify the nutrients that are causing these difficulties and take them out of your child’s diet.

How to Test the Foods and See if Symptoms Change

Before you make any meal plan changes, you want to initially pinpoint the foods that are affecting your son or daughter’s GI tract.

To so, follow these steps:

1. Pick an ingredient or item to remove, such as eggs, gluten, and/or seafood.
2. Gradually and slowly reintroduce these ingredients to your kid’s diet.
3. If your child’s symptoms reappear or get worse, you will know that the food product is what’s causing the problem. Consequently, you must permanently eliminate it from their meals.
4. If nothing changes and no symptoms emerge, you can go back to step 1 and test how other ingredients or items could impact your autistic boy or girl’s GI organs.

Keep in mind that kids with certain medical conditions have unique dietary requirements.

Dietary Restrictions for Those Who Have Autism and Seizures

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for children with autism to also suffer from seizures. In those cases, you may want to consider one or both of these diets:

• Ketogenic (Keto) Diet: Simply put, a keto regimen entails meals that are high in fats and low in carbohydrates.
• Sugar or Yeast-Free Diet: While this might greatly help, you should remember to avoid foods that can cause GI issues even if they don’t contain any sugar or yeast (fish and seafood, for instance).

Downsides to the Keto Diet

Before you switch your autistic child to a keto diet, you must first talk to their doctor and/or a registered dietitian so that they supervise the transition.

This is important since a keto diet, when implemented the wrong way, can negatively impact your son or daughter’s growth, weight, and cholesterol levels. A lot of parents attain good results from a keto meal plan by combining it with other ingredients and foods.

What if my child is a picky eater?

Some kids are very selective when it comes to food. This is even more likely to be the case among those who were diagnosed with ASD.

If this applies to your child, here is how you can effectively cater to their dietary needs:

• Avoid textures that your son or daughter doesn’t like.
• Give them their own plate, particularly when they feel uncomfortable with sharing one.
• Introduce new foods and meals in a gradual and slow manner.
• Make meal time more enjoyable and fun for your kid.
• Pick ingredients with colors that your child likes.
• Prepare their food in the shape(s) that they prefer.
• Talk to their doctor about supplements and vitamins when your kid’s picky eating habits are preventing them from obtaining the nutrients that their body requires.

In short, your ultimate goal is to eliminate or minimize any GI challenges that your autistic son or daughter is facing and, at the same time, ensure that they’re consuming a healthy amount of vitamins and nutrients.

You could do this by identifying the specific meals or ingredients that they’re insensitive towards and, from there, making the necessary dietary adjustments.

By being creative, many parents can create a food plan that pleases even the pickiest and most selective autistic eaters.

How ABA therapy can help children with autism and eating challenges

ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy is a widely recognized treatment for children with autism. It aims to improve specific behaviors and skills through reinforcement strategies. One of the many areas where ABA can be particularly beneficial is in addressing eating challenges, often faced by children with autism.

Children with autism might have sensory sensitivities, rigidity in routines, or anxiety that can lead to restrictive and selective eating habits. This can cause nutritional deficiencies and impact their overall health and development.

1. Increasing Food Variety: ABA therapy can help increase the variety of foods a child is willing to try. Therapists can use a technique called systematic desensitization, which involves gradual exposure to new foods, starting with looking at the food, then touching it, smelling it, and finally tasting it.
2. Improving Mealtime Behaviors: ABA can also focus on improving mealtime behaviors. This might involve teaching the child to sit at the table for the duration of the meal, use utensils appropriately, or chew and swallow safely.
3. Reducing Food Refusal: Techniques such as differential reinforcement can be used to reduce food refusal. This involves providing positive reinforcement (like praise, tokens, or access to a preferred activity) when the child accepts a bite of a new or non-preferred food and not providing this reinforcement when they refuse.
4. Teaching Adaptive Skills: ABA can teach skills like self-feeding, using utensils, opening food containers, and cleaning up after eating. These skills can promote independence and ease mealtime struggles.
5. Creating Positive Mealtime Environment: ABA promotes a positive mealtime environment, helping children associate eating with a pleasant experience rather than stress or discomfort.
6. Involving the Family: ABA doesn’t just work with the child – it involves the entire family. Therapists can provide parents and siblings with strategies to support positive eating behaviors at home, promoting consistency and generalization of learned skills.

In conclusion, ABA therapy offers comprehensive strategies to address the eating challenges faced by children with autism. However, it’s important to remember that every child is unique and what works for one might not work for another. Therefore, ABA interventions should be individualized and regularly monitored for effectiveness.