ASD & Severe Anxiety - What Do I do Now?

[joencaitlinsmum]

My DS 11 who has high functioning asd suffers with extreme anxiety and seperation anxiety, we can go through periods when he is not too bad and others like this week when he spends his whole time in tears.

Last September before his dx he was refered to our local anxiety clinic who started giving me CBT so I could help him, I feel this has had limited success, went back for a feedback session this week and they admit it hasnt worked as they would have liked, they did experience him in full flow anxiety btw and have now said they dont treat children with asd!! WTF they just say its their policy end of nothing else to suggest!!

When we saw the Psychiatrist at CAHMS last month he said they cant offer him anything unless he gets worse, he doesnt have any behaviour issues and is doing well at school so is seen not to be a problem.

He is going to secondary school in september and still cant be alone by himself and I am worried sick for him.

Does anyone have any ideas where to go to get more help for him, not sur eif I should contact the Psychiatrist again or go back to my GP?

joencaitlinsmum

you could identify the criteria of your DSs ASD diagnosis
Identification and Evaluation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
and the table of criteria which in turn may help you find more information from
Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
which may help you get the correct support and help

JCM, I'm on the autism spectrum and anxiety has been the big issue for me for most of my life. For a lot of years I couldn't identify what was triggering it - my brain just didn't connect properly to the incoming info to tell me what was bothering me in any way I could explain. As an adult, I've learned ways round life, but I can still be left absolutely panic-stricken if something changes unexpectedly or if something unpleasant happens.

A thought - would your ds consider a dog? Have a look at the Dogs for the Disabled PAWS scheme (easy to google). Sometimes an assistance dog/family dog trained to help someone with autism can make a really big difference to our anxiety levels and separation anxiety. My own dog helps me hugely.

CBT doesn't work in the way people expect with autism, no. They're still researching it, but it's designed for a 'typical brain design', and ours often isn't.

What also helps me is something to wrap round myself when I'm anxious - a duvet, a blanket, a thick jumper or coat or something. It helps calm me down. Worth looking up the Temple Grandin 'hug machine' stuff online for an explanation of how it might help.

Not sure those are useful ideas in this case, but worth mentioning...

Agree with what Amber says.

I have many asd traits (but no dx), i suffer from anxiety and last year i had CBT and it did not help, went to a new therapist this year and was told 'if you are on the spectrum its very unlikely that cbt will help'.

Dd1 (7, AS) also suffers form anxiety and hate seeing her so upset (like your ds she has good days and bad days).

Try looking and 'mindfulness' (google).

There is a specialist CBT service for Autism at the Maudsley hospital London. The clinic is called "Autistic behavioral unit", and their specialists do all sorts of really good, evidence based interventions for autistic mental health issues from MRI scanning to verify diagnosis, through to anxiety therapies. IF you can access it these bods REALLY know their stuff as asd, (& co-morbid) is all they see and work with.

My son's pet dog (just a rescue with a very gentle temperment) remains THE best anti-anxiety therapy I've come across. She's very quiet and not a "yapper" though. Epsom salts help him sleep, which in turn helps the anxiety sometimes, as does giving him a safe space to just "be". (Pottering on the veg patch, losing himself to a computer game etc, his dad reads obscure poetry or plays computer chess or sleeps in the woods).

have you thought about looking into AIT see this links here

www.vision3d.com/adhd/#improve

my DS is about to start intensive therapy but others have already on SN here have tried it already HTH