A healthy diet for people with autism means eating foods like grass-fed meat, pasture-raised eggs, organs, and fresh fruit. Make sure to avoid any processed foods with added sugar and vegetable/seed oils completely if you want to thrive. Avoid drinking anything with caffeine or added sugars or artificial sweeteners.
In conclusion, there are many factors that can make autism worse. Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism.
Sensory Issues
Many people with autism experience sensory processing disorder. This is more commonly known as sensory overload. Noise, crowds, bright lights, strong tastes, smells, and being touched can feel unbearable to someone with HFA. This makes going to restaurants, movies, and shopping malls difficult.
Amazingly, many of the fears reported in our sample were described in children with autism 70 years ago by Kanner, including fear of vacuum cleaners, elevators, mechanical toys, swings, and the wind. Children with autism perceive, experience, and react to the world differently than children without autism.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
While autism does not necessarily get worse with age, it is important to note that symptoms can vary over the course of a person's life. In fact, research has shown that autism symptoms tend to peak around the ages of 2-3 years old.
Autistic children and teenagers are sometimes oversensitive to things like noise, crowds or temperature. They try to avoid sensory experiences.
Sensory overload.
Children with autism can be sensitive to sensory stimulation. In a setting or situation—such as a store or a crowded event—all of the noises, colors, lights, and activity around them become too stressful. They might feel overwhelmed and panic.
Hobbies such as collecting stamps, playing cards or board games, drawing and photography can also provide opportunities for enjoyment, as well as increased self-confidence and motivation individuals on the spectrum.
Strategies to consider include distraction, diversion, helping the person use calming strategies such as fiddle toys or listening to music, removing any potential triggers, and staying calm yourself.
Assign simple chores like separating laundry by color and putting away household items. Build independence in small ways like giving choices when available, adding an ingredient to a meal or assisting in taking care of pets. Actively engage in community activities like at the YMCA, farmer's markets or volunteer groups.
Caring for a child with autism can demand a lot of energy and time. There may be days when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged. Parenting isn't ever easy, and raising a child with special needs is even more challenging. In order to be the best parent you can be, it's essential that you take care of yourself.
There is not just one cause of ASD. There are many different factors that have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.
Autism is not an illness
It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.
Autism is a disability under the ADA. Some adults and children with autism can access Social Security benefits, including disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Create A Structured Environment
Children with autism feel much more comfortable and connected when they have a set routine with clear structures, and minimal alterations from their predicted schedule.
For some, it will be talking about their special interests to someone who will actually listen, or just listening quietly to music through headphones. And remember, what makes one person happy may be unique to them. Sometimes a quiet contented mind can be the happiest feeling of all.
Sensory issues can be a common challenge for individuals with autism. They may overreact to a sound, a texture, or a smell that may seem normal to others. For example, the sound of a vacuum cleaner or a loud motorcycle can be too overwhelming for someone with autism.
Many autistic people enjoy spending time alone and consider it important for their wellbeing.
Many autistic people have intense and highly-focused interests, often from a fairly young age. These can change over time or be lifelong. It can be art, music, gardening, animals, postcodes or numbers. For many younger children it's Thomas the Tank Engine, dinosaurs or particular cartoon characters.