Autism reported to get worse with a patient?
The mans mother claims that in the past, he was able to ride a bike, go out for walks, run, play and so on when he was a child.
However, his mother claims that it is because he is on medication today and that this is why his behaviour has got worse with time.
She would like him to come off medication.
His dose of medication has been reduced, but not much of a behaviour difference has been observed by the staff.
As I understand it, AS and Autistic disorder remains unchanged in its magniture through out life. But there are variables that can make its effects more or less noticable, such as adolescence and becoming an adult.
In many cases, as such people grow to become adults, I hear reports of a decline in such behaviour.
Can this condition become more or less severe in terms of brain structural damage?
If so, why?
Answer:
There are many factors that go into this question.
You are correct to say that (classic) autism is a chronic condition. However, it is also developmental - which means that at different life stages, the condition will look different. In other words, the individual will have significant difficulty achieving life tasks that are developmentally appropriate for other individuals their age. For instance, five years olds with autism may have a lot of difficulty with pretend play, which is appropriate for other five years olds... but not so important to a 15-year-old.
Also, treatment is very important. In the "old days," children with autism did not have many choices for intervention and therapy. These days, however, there are many therapies out there: behavioral intervention, Floortime, RDI, speech therapy, occupational therapy, that kind of thing. If an autistic individual does not receive assistance, then the trajectory of his condition may lead his behaviors to "get worse." This is why it is vitally important for individuals with autism to receive the appropriate intervention.
It sounds as if this particular autistic man's motor skills have gotten worse e.g. "ride a bike, go out for walks, run, play and so on." It may be that there are side effects from his medication that have caused his motor skills to decrease. It may also be that he is not getting other forms of intervention. At this point, medication does not really "cure" symptoms of autism, but it will decrease aggression or hyperactivity, which can "set the stage" for other types of intervention and learning to work. An autistic individual should not be relying on medication alone for treatment. However, medication alone does not make one's autism "get worse with time."
Furthermore, you don't say how severely this man is affected. If his autism is severe, then yes, the prognosis for improvement is different than for someone whose autism is less severe. Finally... many individuals with autism have seizures, which could also be affecting his motor skills, as well as other skills. His mother should check this out.
Hope this helps.
As a mother of an autistic child .. my sons behaviour can change at any given moment ..
My sons behaviour has got worse over the last two months and no one will medicate him .
I believe without therauptic intervention there is a high probabilty of further damage ...
Austism can never be cured .. it can be managed with the right people
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