Andrew has extreme issues with anxiety. Sometimes his anxiety is people based. Certainly large crowds make him very uncomfortable. He has great difficulty with eye contact. Even though autistics don’t “look any different” there is this set of stereotypical ways Andrew tilts his head in order to avoid all possibility of eye contact.
Sometimes his anxiety deals with sensory integration issues.
Often Andrew’s anxiety deals with change of routine.
At a mild level Andrew’s anxiety attacks can cause him to be nervous and bring on his
other behavioral problems. In extreme instances his anxiety can be completely debilitating .. he can be so anxious that he will sit and be unable to move out of an aisle in a store ... or unable to leave a room.
Medications have helped him manage his anxiety. However, they are treating the symptom not the cause. Medications are a frustrating issue and a delicate balance .. As he grows he needs bigger an bigger dosages. As time wears on he has seemed to build up resistance to certain medications. When we try new medications it often seems almost random which have the desired effect, which do nothing, and which have a negative effect. It is also worrisome on the lack of study of these drugs in terms of their effects on children and their long term effects on the brain and body.
Self Stimulation (Stimming)
