Medical implications for pupils with Asperger/Autism
Stress and Anxiety:There are no inherent medical implications for a child with Asperger Syndrome or autism that would cause problems in a mainstream school.
However, there are associated features of the disorder that might cause problems.
Many children with autism have a hypersensitive or hyposensitive sensory acuity:
Hearing:
some may have such sensitive hearing that they will cover their ears at the slightest noise; while another will appear to be deaf.
Sight:
one child may be extremely sensitive to bright lights. Some may have visual attention difficulties.
Touch:
some will be sensitive to anything but the lightest touch, finding, for example, all clothing except soft, tracksuit style materials, itchy and uncomfortable. Some will not like to be touched by other people and will draw away, while others enjoy, for example, stroking animals.
Smell:
may be highly sensitive, or totally insensitive, to smells.
Taste:
may be a very fussy eater (no ‘lumps’; or will not accept any food that has been packaged, prepared, or in any way touched by others). Some may suffer from pica, when everything is placed in the mouth and ‘eaten’ – leaves, stones, pencils, clothing, nails, paper, etc.
Movements:
some children may love or hate certain movements, such as those experienced on swings, roundabouts, etc. Many children will repeat movements such as hand-flapping, rocking, jumping, hopping.
Anxiety:
older children in particular can be prone to psychiatric problems caused by depression, loneliness and low self-esteem. Enuresis, self-mutilation, and mood swings may result. See the OAASIS Information Sheet on Anxiety.
Curiosity and lack of empathy may lead to injury to self or others: “What will happen if I squeeze this drinking glass?” “What will happen if I jump out of the window?” “I did not think it would hurt her as she wasn’t looking at me when I did it.”
Epilepsy:
adolescent onset is not uncommon.
Pain:
these children may exhibit over-high pain thresholds. They will not complain of conditions that might have non-ASD children in tears. A difficult one to monitor, but any physical accident should be checked carefully as a matter of course by a school nurse or hospital casualty department.
Personal hygiene may be a problem with some children: a fear of bacteria and bugs will prevent them touching the ‘dirty bits’ in order to make them clean. In a residential setting carers must check that genitals and hair are being washed regularly and carefully. An offshoot of this may result in a faddy food eater: ie the young person will not touch or eat anything that has been touched by others. He may happily accept pre-packed foods, however, as long as he himself is the one who undoes the packaging, and he may cope quite happily with food brought from home.
Other syndromes which may coexist with autism / AS and which in their own right may require some form of regular medication:
Other conditions often seen with AS (but not necessarily requiring medication):
OAASIS produces free Information Sheets on these conditions. Cambian Education Services run seven residential special schools and colleges for young people with autistic spectrum disorders, Asperger Syndrome/HFA, severe learning difficulties. OAASIS can send you their prospectuses.
OAASIS produces a wide range of free Information Sheets. Please contact OAASIS for the full list, or view them on the website at www.oaasis.co.uk. OAASIS produces other, chargeable publications. Send for a list and order form or check the website.
Note: The OAASIS Information Sheets use ‘he’ ‘his’ ‘him’ rather than the cumbersome ‘he / she’ ‘his / her’ ‘him / her’. No sexism is intended. The sheets are checked annually, please ensure you have the current version.
© OAASIS (Office for Advice Assistance Support and Information on Special needs) This article can be freely reproduced with due attribution of authorship.