Read the essay that Alli Maile, a 14-year-old in Ankeny, wrote about autism and anxiety

This essay was submitted to the Autism Society of Iowa's Annual Statewide Autism Essay Contest by Alli Maile, a 14-year-old in Ankeny. 

One in every five people have a mental health disorder, most of them diagnosed by the age of 25. What if I told you that a person with autism is five times more likely to get diagnosed with disorders such as anxiety and depression? New methods of diagnosing anxiety in kids and young adults with autism would be beneficial because it would allow people to get help earlier on in life, develop better social skills, and improve performance in school.

Around 40% of children and teens on the autism spectrum have some form of anxiety disorder. However, it is suspected that even more go undiagnosed because of overlapping symptoms of anxiety and autism. Current methods of diagnosing anxiety disorders look largely at behavior and personal experience told to a medical professional. There are many reasons that this method may be unreliable for diagnosing young adults and children with autism, but some of the main reasons are that there may be speech barriers causing trouble clarifying symptoms and even problems interpreting emotions. One psychiatrist, Roma A. Vasa, puts it this way, “-does a child become upset when his routine changes because he dislikes change, or because he is scared about what will happen now that something has changed?” Because of these obstacles, it is important for doctors and parents to be aware of underlying symptoms of anxiety and learn new ways to diagnose anxiety in autistic people. New methods of diagnosing anxiety in kids and young adults with autism would be beneficial because it would allow people to get help earlier on in life. This early intervention is crucial in order to prevent unhealthy coping skills and added stress on students' lives so that students with autism can learn to the best of their ability.

Brandon Lust and Alli Maile are students at Northview Middle School in Ankeny, Iowa. They have been friends since fourth grade.
Brandon Lust and Alli Maile are students at Northview Middle School in Ankeny, Iowa. They have been friends since fourth grade.

Treating anxiety early on can be a key part in developing social skills, which in turn helps students with autism navigate school and build positive relationships with peers. High levels of anxiety can cause avoidance behavior when students are approached with opportunities to interact with peers and teachers. This can prevent them from getting help they need throughout the day, as well as barriers in making connections with other students. Lack of social interaction and friends can also elevate the risk of developing other serious mental health issues, such as depression. Learning proper social skills not only helps relieve anxiety about social situations, but it also builds towards gaining independence.

Given the link between levels of social interaction and being able to function well in school, it is no surprise that reducing the levels of anxiety increases performance in school. Anxiety can affect attention level, which directly affects how well a student can learn in school. Students who are focusing on something that makes them anxious will have difficulty listening to the lesson and retaining important knowledge. Irritability and frustration is also a common reaction due to the constant stress on your mind and, with students who may have trouble expressing themselves, difficulty communicating their wants and needs. Treating anxiety should be a top priority for parents, caretakers, and mentors of children and teens with autism so that school can be a beneficial and fun experience.

In order to do this, there needs to be the right support put into place, both in school and at home. One popular method used is Cognitive Behavior Therapy. This method helps students with autism and anxiety build strategies and coping skills, as well as learn how to regulate emotions. Cognitive Behavior Therapy can be implemented both at school and at home. Some people may instead choose to focus on finding common triggers of anxiety in the child or teens life and work to eliminate uncertainty or fear around that certain matter. Another strategy that is commonly used, not just for anxiety, is creating visual supports and social stories to use. This kind of support helps regulate emotions and prepare students for what might happen. Just like a non-autistic student with anxiety, it is a priority to make sure that there are good coping skills put into place so that when, because experiencing anxiety is inevitable, the child or young adult can manage their anxiety in a healthy way.

In conclusion, reframing the anxiety diagnosis process to accommodate kids and young adults with autism would be beneficial because it will allow people to get diagnosed earlier on in life, allowing the right support system to be put in place so that school performance and social skills can improve. Because of this, people with autism can leave school and approach adulthood knowing how to handle their anxiety and be able to build relationships and pursue opportunities, like finding a job, confidently. This confidence will allow other people to see their personality and strengths.

Sources

Jeffrey-Wilensky, J. “One in Five Autistic Adults May Have an Anxiety Disorder.” Spectrum, 2019

https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/one-in-five-autistic-adults-may-have-an-anxiety-disorder/

https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html#:~:text=Poor%20social%20relationships%20(characterized%20by,32%25%20increased%20risk%20of%20stroke.&text=Loneliness%20was%20associated%20with%20higher,depression%2C%20anxiety%2C%20and%20suicide.

Sarris, M. “Diagnosing and Treating Anxiety in People with Autism.” Spark for Autism, 2020

https://sparkforautism.org/discover_article/diagnosing-treating-anxiety-autism/

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Read what 14-year-old Alli Maile wrote about autism and anxiety