Question: Autism, Anxiety and Nightmares
My 13-year old daughter was has recently diagnosed with mild retardation and autism. She has suffered from nightmares, but they disappeared with medication. Now in the past month, the nightmares have returned. I'm at a loss as to what to do. Her anxiety is making me sick at my stomach with worry because I don't know how to fix it! Are nightmares common with autism? What do you suggest I try next?
Answer: From Dr. Robert Naseef:
You sound overwhelmed and understandably so with trying to help your daughter and being the best mother you can be. It is important to understand that anxiety is virtually part and parcel of having autism. Tony Atwood, Ph.D., an internationally renowned expert, is fond of saying “Autism is anxiety looking for a target.” That makes sense when you think about it. If you have a neurological disorder which affects speech and language, relating and communicating, and which includes repetitive behaviors and sensory dysfunction, then there is plenty to be confused and befuddled by in the “neurotypical” world.