10 Things Parents Must Know About Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Here’s what parents need to know about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Unlike Depression and Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder can be experienced differently in people. While those on the Spectrum share some common symptoms, it’s the severity that makes them different. There are kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders who require years of therapy to pronounce words properly, but there are others who eventually learn how to do so properly, albeit later than their peers.

Besides speech, here are other things to know about Autism Spectrum Disorders in kids.

1. Autism Spectrum Disorders are more about social problems, not behavioral ones

Some parents quickly label kids as “autistic” when they misbehave or “lash out.” But Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lot less violent than what we know. A survey conducted in the Philippines by Cerbo and Rabi (2019) showed that the most common form of manifestations of autism includes “lack of interest in joining kids in activities”, “inappropriate screaming”, “needing explicit prompting to respond to the questions”, and “not responding to the question at all.”

2. Autism Spectrum Disorders make kids more vulnerable to other mental disorders

Because they struggle with social events and communication due to their delayed speech development (Catubigan, 2023), those with ASD can suffer from mood disorders like Depression and Anxiety. Their struggles in responding appropriately in social gatherings sometimes make their peers avoid them, leaving them confused and struggling to understand what they did wrong.

In Philippine culture, many find it difficult to confront people about their behavior because they don’t wish to be seen as the ones who “rock the boat.” Thus, they choose to avoid talking about the problem or confronting the person about it which eventually leads to avoiding the person with ASD altogether.

3. Those on the spectrum struggle to deal with change

Plans don’t always go like we imagine they would — but those with Autism Spectrum Disorder struggle to deal with change because the way they process objects is different. Their senses are more prone to overloading because processing abstract information is difficult, especially when they are expected to process things quickly. Parents often brief their kids who have Autism Spectrum Disorder about the incoming change in order to ease the stress.

4. Jokes and sarcasm may take time for them to pick up

Since they struggle with communication, it also takes them a while to process jokes and sarcasm. They usually process things “literally” because it takes them time to process the more figurative meanings, which can be quite a struggle. While they eventually understand it, it takes a patient support system to explain things to them (Chepngetich, Rotich &, Ng’eno, 2022).

5. Their outbursts are not out of malice

We know that there are still some parents who loosely (and sometimes maliciously) use the term “autistic” when a child melts down, screams, throws a tantrum, and becomes violent. But when kids on the spectrum do have these outbursts, it’s not because they’re hateful or angry. It’s usually because they’re overwhelmed and are trying to figure out what to process first.

Unfortunately, it’s going to take some time to differentiate a “bad child” from a “child behaving inappropriately.”

6. Those with Autism Spectrum Disorders may prefer certain foods because their stomachs are prone to problems

We hate it when kids are picky with food. But kids with ASD who reject certain foods may have something to do with their digestion. Some specific components like gluten and casein aren’t easily broken down for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, making their symptoms a lot worse than usual (Munira, Islam, Hawladar, 2020).

However, it’s best to consult your resident pediatrician to confirm if there are any issues with your child’s gut.

7. Those with Autism Spectrum Disorders may sometimes have a specific affinity to something

While children have all sorts of talents, some of those with Autism Spectrum Disorders may have a single talent that may be superhuman. Because of constantly repeating a certain behavior that helps them deal with big feelings, they get really good at it. To many, their high level of skill in their specialty may look like the result of exchanging their ability to process social gatherings and conversations.

Their “specialization” may also be the result of their hyper fixation — it’s when they focus so intensely that they take note of every little thing of their target.

8. They prefer something concrete.

Reading between the lines is a must-need skill for almost anybody, especially here in the Philippines where families love showing their best. Unfortunately, that’s a big hurdle for those with ASD because there are no cues or senses to base it off from. Statements like, “I wish”, “I think”, and “I imagine” take a while to sink in for them because there’s no cue for them to derive a context.

9. Routines help build their confidence

Routines take away the stress of imagining the possibility of something they can’t imagine happening. It’s like how we don’t like dealing with things unless we’re told what the details are. But while we can imagine and predict based on the details given, those with ASD struggle in processing those details quickly which leads to their loss of confidence.

10. Asperger’s Syndrome is part of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Before, Asperger’s Syndrome was considered different from Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, they had a lot of similar features which is why it fell under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Asperger’s also gained the reputation for being “high functioning” because they appear like they’re coping well despite sometimes saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

With the proper help and awareness, those with Autism Spectrum Disorders can live a full life.

Although they process the world differently, those with Autism Spectrum Disorders can still live a fulfilling life and achieve great things. With the right support system and patience from the family, they can excel and become independent. It may take some time but with the right kind of therapy and teaching kids how to be more patient with their peers, they make the world a better place for those who are struggling with this disorder.

References:

Catubigan, R. V. (2023). Mothers’ Voices on Autism Spectrum Disorder: Leaning Towards Sustainable Inclusive Education in Maragusan, Philippines. Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education, 14(1), 57-71.

Cerbo, S. N., & Rabi, N. M. (2019). The Social and Communication Skills Difficulties among Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, 9(6).

Chepngetich, V., Rotich, R., & Ng’eno, C. (2022). SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM IN MANDAUE CITY, PHILIPPINES. African Journal of Emerging Issues, 4(6), 55-63.

Costales, J., & Devaraj, M. (2021, November). Predictive Modeling and Simulation to Identify the Prenatal, Natal, and Postnatal Risk Factors of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study from the Philippines. In 2021 The 5th International Conference on Advances in Artificial Intelligence (ICAAI) (pp. 44-53).

Lucero, J. A. (2017). Raising children with autism spectrum disorder: A study on parenting styles and techniques. International Journal of Management and Applied Science, 3(8), 48-53.

Munira, S., Islam, T., & Hawladar, M. H. (2020). Food Consumption and Anthropometric Assessment Survey of Autism Affected Children, Adolescents, and, Adults: A Pilot Study. Journal of Nutrition and Food Security.

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