Causes of Inflexibility
What causes extraordinary inflexibility in autism? Are our obsessive friends just stubborn or spoiled, or is there a neurological explanation for their rigid interests and restrictive or repetitive behaviors?
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NEUROLOGICAL CATALYSTS. Researchers have not yet pinpointed the root causes for inflexibility in autism, but the neurological investigation is in full swing. You can follow the latest developments on websites such as those listed at the end of this post. If you are listening on a podcast, just click on our website – FAQautism.com – for the links.
SECURITY. A person with autism may thrive on routine, sometimes to the extreme. They may have a meltdown if they encounter changes in schedule or activities or food or clothing or music or pillows or the arrangement of knick-knacks or any number of aspects of their daily lives. Reactions can look like temper tantrums, or they might mimic panic attacks. Are our friends just extraordinarily stubborn or afraid of change, or do these obsessions have neurological roots?
SENSORY ISSUES. Finely tuned taste or smell or sound discrimination or touch may cause a person to develop an extraordinary attachment to a certain food or song or pair of shoes. Whereas most of us do not notice differences in t-shirts or water bottles or car engine sounds, some individuals with autism are very sensitive to differences. These sensory issues paired with obsessive interest can cause problems when things change unexpectedly.
BEHAVIOR ISSUES. It would be inappropriate to assume that an individual with autism would not have behavior issues just like his typical peers. For example, nearly every toddler and teen goes through rebellious stages. Our friends with autism are not immune to the “terrible twos” or the “teen pout.” Personality type can also impact a person’s flexibility, whether or not they have autism. For example, some people are just naturally more “set in their ways” or prone to temper tantrums.
CAREGIVER ISSUES. Inflexibility can also be influenced by family members, teachers, and other adults. We may be too busy with other issues to take time to teach our friends with autism to deal with their frustration or agitation. Or we may feel like we spend our days walking on eggs, so we find it easier to just let some things go. It may also be that we do not know how to redirect inappropriate behavior and to systematically teach flexibility. But, even if we are excellent teachers with unlimited time, we cannot make everything perfect.
TIP FOR THE DAY: All of this is to say that many factors contribute to inflexibility in autism, some of which we can control and some of which we cannot. I encourage you to keep tabs on the latest neurological research about autism by clicking on the sites below, among others.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm
Autism Society of America http://www.autism-society.org
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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