New guide on treating anxiety in autism is being delivered to every school in county
Health A new guide containing the latest research on treating anxiety in autism is being delivered to every school.
Around 40 per cent of autistic children, young people and adults are believed to have one or more anxiety disorder, compared to ten to 15 per cent of the general population.
Lesser known is the fact that anxiety is not simply a part of autism – it is an independent disorder that can be treated in its own right.
With this in mind, City, University of London and West Sussex County Council’s autism and social communication team have joined forces to produce a unique and concise guide to help teachers and professionals make informed decisions about how to promote and mental health children.
‘An evidence based guide to anxiety in autism’ launched last Wednesday and is being delivered to every school in West Sussex. It pulls together the latest research and practice for improving protect the of autistic emotional wellbeing autistic children.
Richard Burrett, deputy leader of West Sussex County Council and cabinet member for education and skills, said: “Every primary and secondary school in the county will have the chance to benefit from this exciting joint piece of in work and engage in the new ideas presented in it. I hope it can help teachers to help young people manage their anxieties and live fulfilling lives.”
Heightened and intensive feelings of fear can often be hard to identify as anxiety in individuals with autism. This is because it can present in an unusual way, such as excessive fear of very specific objects or unusual worry about a change in routine.
Such expressions of anxiety might be dismissed as part of autism, rather than cooccurring anxiety. However, when this distinction is identified and addressed it can lead to major improvements to someone’s quality of life.
The resource outlines the progress made in identifying some key causes of anxiety in autism, such as sensory processing differences and difficulties in understanding and regulating emotions. These differences can often make the world more uncertain and unpredictable for autistic people.
The guide outlines established ways of helping autistic children manage their emotional wellbeing, based on the latest research literature as well as the experiencebased practices established in many schools.
Hard copies will be available in schools and electronically to anyone they will benefit. A handful of copies have already been sent and the early feedback is encouraging:
“This clearly written guide is grounded in evidence-based research, giving an insight into the anxieties linked to autism. It also provides a wealth of practical strategies including a detailed toolbox of accessible resources.” – Susie Tichband, SENDCO north, West Sussex Alternative Provision College.
Dr Sebastian Gaigg, of the Autism Research Group at City, University of London, said: “The aim of our guide is to help parents, teachers and other professionals better understand why certain strategies are often effective in helping children manage their emotions, why the same strategies might not always work and what other strategies might be explored. Ultimately we want to help professionals make informed decisions on how best to support individual children.”