What do we know about autism anxiety? What about autism dysregulation? Why is this so prevalent, especially at the beginning of the school year?
I’ve been reading a lot of Facebook posts from teachers who share information like:
Autism anxiety is common
The problem is that these situations are COMMON!
In his book Uniquely Human, Barry Prizant talks about how common anxiety and dysregulation are in autism. That led me to do a little quick research.
Check out these statistics
- About 40% of children with autism experience anxiety
- About 80% of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have emotional regulation problems
- Around 90% of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience some form of sensory dysregulation, meaning they have atypical responses to sensory stimuli like sounds, sights, touch, or smells, which can manifest as either over- or under-sensitivity.
- The percent of children with ASD and sensory processing issues has been reported to be between 69% to 95% depending on the study.
Anxiety is more difficult to define, but a simple definition is: excessive and persistent feelings of fear, worry, or dread that can interfere with daily life.
So. . . think of it like this. If you are in an environment where you don't understand all of the communication. Where your sensory system is always being bombarded.
A place where you are confused about what is happening. . . moment by moment . . . wouldn't you crave structure, routine and clarity of communication. What about a place where they try to make you engage in activities that you don't like or don't understand?
The numbers vary somewhat depending on how each study is conducted, exactly what is being evaluated and the specific terminology that is used. But the summary is that a LOT of autistic students experience these conditions.
Autism dysregulation is more common than many people think.
Autism Dysregulation: Understanding the Connection
Emotional and sensory dysregulation is a frequent challenge for individuals on the autism spectrum. It refers to the emotional and sensory difficulties students have in maintaining control which leads to intense reactions to seemingly ordinary situations.
Symptoms of anxiety or dysregulation can include a great variety of behaviors like irritability, tantrums, mood fluctuations, self-harm, yelling, social withdrawal, and extreme silliness.
Understanding the causes of difficulties and supporting autistic individuals is critical for promoting their well-being and enhancing their ability to engage meaningfully in the classroom and in the world.
This is what we know
Dysregulated children will not learn
Explaining anxiety and dysregulation
For autistic students, dysregulation can result from a variety of triggers, including sensory overload, communication difficulties, changes in routine, or emotional stress.
Dysregulation is described as an inability to effectively regulate one's emotions, behaviors, and sensory responses. This can result in many behaviors, including meltdowns, shutdowns, anxiety, irritability, or withdrawal.
Dysregulation often occurs when students are overwhelmed by stimuli or experience difficulty processing information in their environment. Sensory overload, for example, can be a major source of dysregulation in autistic individuals.
Loud noises, bright lights, or crowded spaces might lead to extreme discomfort or distress, making it difficult to maintain calm or focus on tasks. Unexpected changes in routine can create anxiety or frustration, resulting in dysregulated behavior.
Causes of Dysregulation in Autism
The causes of dysregulation in autistic individuals are unique to each individual. One of the primary contributors is sensory processing differences.
Many autistic individuals experience heightened or diminished sensitivity to sensory inputs. This means that what might be a minor annoyance for a neurotypical person—such as a loud sound or uncomfortable texture—can be overwhelming or unbearable for someone with autism.
When sensory overload occurs, the individual may experience an acute state of distress, leading to behaviors such as stimming (repetitive behaviors), crying, or aggression as they attempt to cope.
Sometimes teachers will share about students, often young ones who are enduring their first school experience, who cry all day. Why? Distress? Fear? Overwhelm? Overloaded?
Communication difficulties also play a significant role in dysregulation. Autistic individuals may struggle to express their needs, wants, or feelings in ways that others understand.
The frustration of not being able to effectively communicate can result in emotional outbursts or withdrawal, as the individual becomes dysregulated by their inability to engage in meaningful dialogue.
Furthermore, executive functioning challenges—difficulties with planning, organization, and flexibility—can lead to dysregulation.
Changes in routine, transitions between activities, or unfamiliar situations can trigger anxiety, as these individuals may find it hard to adapt to new circumstances.
This can result in meltdowns or shutdowns as a response to the stress of navigating an unpredictable environment.
Strategies for Managing Dysregulation
Remember, dysregulated children will not learn.
Supporting autistic students in managing dysregulation requires a multifaceted approach that addresses the underlying causes of their stress. Sensory accommodations are often essential.
Providing noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, or sensory-friendly environments can help reduce the sensory input that leads to overload.
Developing effective communication strategies are crucial. Creating predictable routines, using visual schedules and other visual strategies help autistic students anticipate changes and transitions and reduce autism anxiety related to uncertainty.
Teaching self-regulation skills, such as deep breathing, relaxation or the use of calming sensory tools can empower individuals to manage their emotional responses more effectively.
Teacher concerns
Sometimes I hear teachers lament, “I can’t get any work done.” What they need to understand is that helping their students to get regulated IS the work.
Trying to address reading or math or other academic goals will be useless until the student can achieve a state of regulation. Being ready to learn has to come first, before anything else.
Autism curriculum
Unfortunately, we are dealing with an education trend that pushes academic goals on younger and younger children and those with special learning needs who are not ready for academics yet.
These children won’t do well spending a lot of time sitting in chairs and trying to do academic tasks they aren’t ready for.
It’s imperative that these children have a curriculum filled with play and lots of physical activity to help them develop the skills they need for later learning.
From a sensory point of view, some of these students are sensory seekers and some are sensory avoiders.
The QUIET CORNER has become more common in classrooms. That’s a good start. But what about the sensory seekers? They need lots of activity.
Making a plan
Dysregulation and anxiety in autism are complex issues rooted in sensory processing differences, communication challenges, and executive functioning difficulties.
Understanding these underlying factors and providing appropriate support is essential for helping autistic individuals navigate their classroom environments with greater ease.
By creating sensory-friendly spaces, supporting communication with visual strategies and fostering self-regulation skills, we can help autistic students manage autism dysregulation and autism anxiety to get ready to tackle their school experience.
P.S. I realize that this is a topic that there can be differing opinions about. Please comment below.
Profoundly autistic nonverbal adults have similar issues and reasons for hitting, biting, thrashing the room. It’s just that after school somehow people, educators, staff don’t think of ways of helping the adult child and parents like everyone else just accept the status quo. It
I have not said that before!
Thank you for commenting. Ideally, we would develop a “formula” of supports for these students to communicate their wants and needs when they are in school and then those supports would follow them into their adult lives and environments. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen often enough. That is why parents need to be involved in their child’s communication development when they are young so they can advocate for those communication supports to follow their child into adulthood. I’m a strong proponent for involving parents in communication training from the very beginning. They are the most important communication partners in that child’s life.