Educational Resources

James has significant difficulty being outside of his home, which is his ‘safe’ environment. He feels that others are staring at him and feels generally uncomfortable, which leads to very high levels of anxiety and occasionally panic attacks. Although he visits an Occupational Therapist and a Psychiatrist regularly, this anxiety prevents him from attending a mainstream, on-campus school. Individuals who have autism or Asperger’s Syndrome are more vulnerable to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression than other individuals, particularly in late adolescence and their early adult years. (Tantam & Prestwood, 1999).

 

Although it is unlikely that a single intervention or artefact would be enough to remove James’ difficulties, there a various things that can be done to remove at least part of the anxiety associated. If he were to attempt to attend a mainstream, on-campus school, one artefact that may be helpful could be allowing him to wear a cotton long sleeved shirt and long pants to school, as he associates these with comfort and safety.  Since he was a young child, he has enjoyed being wrapped tightly in blankets or quilts, and the wearing of long-sleeved shirts and long pants is a milder way to achieve this sensation when he needs to be outside of the home environment. It is well documented that children and adults with Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorders enjoy feeling pressure on their bodies.  Grandin (1992) notes that pressure has been used successfully by therapists to help calm children and adults with ASD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The constant contact associated with a long shirt and pants will have a mild calming effect on James and will help alleviate at least part of the anxiety associated with leaving the ‘safe’ environment. It will also help him feel more ‘covered’ and less exposed and remove some of the feeling of being stared at that James experiences.