A few months ago, I became personally aware of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a way that completely changed my understanding of the condition. A close friend of mine has a 7-year-old son whom we always thought was just a slow talker. We never considered that he might have ASD. It wasn’t until we went through a series of tests and the doctor diagnosed him with ASD that I was left asking, "What is that?" This moment led me to do some deep research, and I quickly realized how complex and misunderstood this condition is.
ASD is a disorder caused by communication and social interaction and it can possibly lead to misinteraction of their behavior and ASD is caused by how the body process of stress and their system we can know as HPA axis.
- HPA axis is important to regulation the body response to stress, and it is encounter in a stressful situation cause the hormone response and lead to release of cortisol and know as stress hormone. Cortisol is help to prepare the body challenge , energy and focus.
How ever people with ASD , their body response to stress and particularly regulation of cortisol can be discrup . Children with ASD often have heightened stress responses, meaning their HPA axis is more sensitive to stressors. This can cause them to experience more intense stress and anxiety, which can, in turn, lead to difficulties in coping with new or social situations. This abnormal cortisol regulation is one of the reasons why children with ASD might struggle with stress management. The presence of high or poorly regulated cortisol levels over time can also have long-term impacts on both mental and physical health. It’s a complex interaction between stress, the brain, and the body that makes ASD particularly challenging to manage,Understanding the relationship between cortisol and ASD has been eye-opening for me. By acknowledging the stress-related challenges these children face, we can better support them through strategies that address anxiety and stress.
I hope there will be more research and study is will able to better treat this disease for future outcome
References :
Corbett, B. A., & Simon, D. (2014). Adolescence, Stress and Cortisol in Autism Spectrum Disorders. OA autism, 1(1), 2.
I wonder how we can truly cater to ASD within childcare and in the classroom. Overall most children if they deviate from the norm are labeled as problem children despite no reference on what kind of disorders affect them, and from a sociological standpoint, labeling theory would reinforce those beliefs of being a problem child or problematic individual leading to self doubt and higher form of chronic stress. Overall I believe the best way to help in the understanding of ASD is a publish shift of acknowledging mental disorders and trying to sympathize with the child rather than punish or demean them for outburst after a positive-feedback loop of chronic stress leading to a mental break-down.
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