Children with ASD often need a hug, just like other children. Sometimes they need this much more than other children. But some children don't like to be touched. Respect their personal space.
An autistic child's physical appearance is normal. She may not like to be touched or held. She may have strange, repetitive behaviors. She may seem to be in her own world and lack interest in other people.
Children with an ASD are not vigilant and do not look up to the caregiver for social referencing. They may not cling to the caregiver, although go up to them for succor. However, some cling to the caregiver because of extreme anxiety.
Some autistic infants don't respond to cuddling, reach out to be picked up, or look at their mothers when being fed.
Science fiction and fantasy are often of great interest to autistic people. Depending on their interest levels and abilities, people on the spectrum may learn every detail of a particular "universe," write their own stories, watch and rewatch movies, read comics, attend conventions, or even make their own costumes.
Your child might get upset if too much is happening around them, if they find a particular noise overwhelming, or if the light is too bright. Autistic children can get frustrated if they're expected to do something they don't have the skills for, like getting dressed independently.
Anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. Communication challenges. Difficulties with emotional regulation. Executive functioning problems.
Children with ASD often need a hug, just like other children. Sometimes they need this much more than other children. But some children don't like to be touched. Respect their personal space.
Individuals with autism can also have an aversion to touch. Touch can cause a lack of emotional response or may even cause emotional stress and turmoil. Touch aversion in autism can feel uncomfortable for friends and family who are unfamiliar with this common response.
Some children with autism smile to show they're happy but don't share their enjoyment. Others show little facial expression or have flat affect and rarely smile so you may not know when they're happy.
People with autism may show their love by: sharing their special interest. allowing someone into their space. using alternative forms of communication.
Autistic children love their parents
You may have to learn to see how your child expresses affection and not take it personally if your child doesn't show affection in the way that typical children do.
Avoid foods that have artificial dyes, colors, flavors, additives, and preservatives. Once again these are good for all people to avoid but especially children with autism as it can cause issues with development. It can also cause stomach irritation as well as being linked to disrupting normal emotional processing.
Children with autism seek sensory input in a myriad of ways. Some enjoy the physical touch of loved ones through hugs, tickles, cuddles, and kisses.
Many autistic people enjoy spending time alone and consider it important for their wellbeing. Loneliness is different though. You might feel lonely if you don't have opportunities to socialise, or find this difficult.
Most children love to be read to, and children with autism especially enjoy many of the features found in children's books, such as repetition and rhyming. Classics like "Good Night Moon," "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," and Dr. Seuss books all use predictive patterns, repetition and rhymes.
Love and affection may be felt but expressed differently
They may show love, for example, through a practical act, and tidy up for you, or iron your shirt, rather than through a more neurotypical way of looking at you and telling you or using physical affection.
How Does Autism Affect Intimacy in Sexual Relationships? Intimacy is the sharing of emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of oneself with those of another individual. People with autism often have problems with rigidity and the need for repetition, which may limit the spontaneity and playfulness of sexual contact.
This is why some children with autism simply do not like being touched in any manner. Many children with autism, even those with high-functioning autism, have difficulty learning to engage in everyday human interaction. They may avoid interactions or eye contact or even resist parental attention, hugs, or cuddling.
With autism, it's all about the kind of touch that the child is seeking. Some children who don't like hugs or cuddling really love roughhousing.
When Does Autism Get Easier? A new study found that around 30% of young autistic children have less severe symptoms at age 6 than they did at age 3. Interestingly, some children lose their autism diagnoses entirely.
Studies have shown that more than 50% of mothers report a decreased ability to enjoy life as they face the challenges associated with raising a child with ASD. In fact, a low level of social support has been identified as the most powerful predictor of depression and anxiety in the mothers (Boyd, 2002).
Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism. However, with early intervention, therapy, and support, individuals with autism can manage these challenges and improve their quality of life.
Although your son's reaction sounds more severe than most, many people with autism struggle with a range of fears, phobias and worries. These can range from a debilitating fear of, say, spiders or the dark to chronic anxiety about making mistakes or being late.