Mental health and developmental issues are rarely straightforward and often occur together, and yet the link between autism and trauma is clear. One study found that 32% of participants with ASD had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to 4% of participants who were not on the spectrum.
Not only is the prevalence of trauma and PTSD higher in autistic people, but their symptoms are also often more intense. Dr. Joshua Feder has devoted much of his career to addressing the connection between autism and trauma. He cares for patients with autism and PTSD and advocates for kids with mental health and developmental issues. Dr. Feder is the co-chair of the Disaster & Trauma Issues Committee of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and helped write the first AACAP practice parameter on autism.
In this blog post, we will look at why trauma and autism are so closely connected.
In the United States, about 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults are diagnosed with autism, which affects a person’s social skills, ability to communicate, and emotional regulation. This is a simplistic explanation for a complex neurological and developmental condition, and no two people have the same symptoms, which is why we refer to autism as a spectrum. Autistic people often have more trouble keeping up with social communication and may be easily manipulated and mistreated.
Now, let’s turn to trauma, which is all too common among kids. For example, 33% of youths who witness community violence go on to develop PTSD. Even if kids don’t witness or experience trauma early in life, one study states that, “Many of the most potent risk factors for post-traumatic stress symptoms and other negative responses to trauma begin early in life, as the early environment interacts with the developing brain.” Trauma can lead to emotional upset, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, and suicidality.
There are several ways that autistic people can become traumatized.
Let’s take an autistic child whose life is already full of stress as they try to navigate a world that feels alien. Mild trauma can occur almost daily, as kids with ASD struggle to communicate or interact in a world that they don’t understand and that doesn’t understand them. So, some trauma and high stress are almost part and parcel of having autism.
Imagine if you’re a child who finds a disruption in routine or certain sounds or sensations painfully stressful. Many autistic people are acutely sensitive to their environments, amplifying the impact when they endure additional trauma. This is a likely reason why studies show that people with ASD have stronger and more numerous PTSD symptoms than those who have PTSD alone.
Even worse, people (especially kids) with developmental issues like autism are easy targets for bullying or abuse because of their trouble reading the intent of others and asking for help when they’ve been mistreated.
Trauma and autism also connect when autistic kids don’t get the help they need after trauma because they are unable to articulate their needs or they don’t always display symptoms of PTSD in typical ways.
Our job is to disentangle autism and trauma and get our patients the help they need for both issues.
If you need expert assessment of an autistic loved one who has been mistreated or abused, it’s important that you see a specialist who understands both autism and trauma on their own, as well as how they interact. And Dr. Feder is that specialist.
Dr. Feder has decades of experience assessing and helping autistic patients who have been impacted by trauma. Not only is he compassionate and caring, but he also has considerable experience working with attorneys and the courts in matters involving persons with autism.
If you’d like to learn more, please contact our office in Solana Beach, California.
