Anxiety May Heighten Social Communication Challenges in Autism
Anxiety manifests itself differently for everyone
As many as 80% of individuals with autism experience anxiety. Yet, its manifestation can be different. “Some students begin asking constant questions; some interrupt constantly; some retreat or run away; and some get rude or provoking. Everyone (adults included) has their own special way of showing when they’re anxious, from biting fingernails, to getting headaches to talking a lot” said Dave Nelson, educator and director of The Community School in Decatur, Georgia – a junior high and high school for adolescents with autism. The fight or flight response may be exaggerated and any attempts to return to a state of calmness may be quite difficult.
