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Why People with ASD Act the Way They Do

Understanding the behavior

Why People with ASD Act the Way They Do

A diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is based on observable behavioral characteristics. We are beginning to have an understanding of why people have those observable characteristics, that is to say, why they behave the way they do.

From observation and written accounts by people with ASD, we can understand what some of the behaviors mean. This is helpful information for the general public so they can develop an understanding of why people with ASD might act a certain way, and understanding is a near neighbor of tolerance! It is invaluable knowledge for parents, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals who are trying to decide what therapies, treatments, and interventions could help a person with an ASD.

Behaviors Are a Form of Communication

For the very young, and those who are nonverbal, behaviors can be the only way for them to communicate with us and the only way for us to understand what is going on with them. Some of these behaviors are avoidance behaviors. Other behaviors are indicative of the individuals trying to make sense of their surroundings. The brain structure of many people with ASD is unlike ours, with some processing circuits wired differently, and it is important to realize that they cannot help what they are doing; they are not just "being difficult."

Parents, caregivers, and teachers can observe a person's behaviors and try to analyze the reason behind them. There is a certain amount of guesswork involved, but by systematically picking one behavior and writing down your observations, you will probably find a pattern.

For example, if a child keeps taking his clothes off, he is probably sensitive to the feel of fabrics on the skin. It would be helpful to observe and take notes on this particular behavior, such as whether he is doing it when he is wearing a certain type of fabric or a certain fit or cut of clothing. Identifying what he can wear will make it easier for him to be comfortable. Perhaps he can be desensitized by a sensory integration technique of "brushing" the skin with a soft plastic brush specifically made for that purpose.

Striking a Balance between Changing the Environment and Changing the Behavior

As parents and caregivers, we need to find the balance between trying to change the environment and changing the individual. Usually a bit of both will be in order. For example, if behaviors indicate possible food allergies, and tests indicate that that is so, a change in diet (the environment) is in order. However, the person may need to learn to tolerate (slowly, through desensitization) eating certain foods that perhaps he would not eat before if he is following a special diet to help his condition.

If a person has auditory and visual sensory processing difficulties, perhaps he can undergo auditory training or vision therapy and avoid spending too much time in noisy, bright environments. Classrooms should not be lit with fluorescent lighting, but the child also needs to learn an alternative appropriate behavior, such as requesting a break or permission to go for a walk, rather than having a temper tantrum.

Listed below are some behaviors and what they can mean. Keep in mind that these are generalizations and that everyone is different, so they may not be true for everyone. Nonetheless, this is a good place to start trying to analyze a person's behaviors. Then, when looking at treatments and therapies, you will already have an idea of areas in which you can help this person. Remember, too, that some behaviors can be indicative of different causes, so you need to look at the total person.

Observable characteristics

Some Observable Characteristics and What They Could Mean Finicky eating

• Eating only from certain food groups can be indicative of food allergies. Sometimes the discomfort created by food allergies can cause other behavioral symptoms similar to sensory processing issues. Often, frequent diarrhea or constipation accompanies eating problems due to allergies.
• Eating only foods of the same texture, smelling the food before eating it, and not eating foods that produce a crunching sound can indicate sensory processing issues, as can chewing or eating unusual nonfood items.
• Eating only exactly the same foods, if accompanied by other examples of insistence on sameness, can show high sensory sensitivities or apprehension of the unknown.

• Covering the ears or appearing deaf (e.g., not responding when name is called) indicates auditory processing difficulties and a high sensitivity to sound. A person may cover their ears to try and block out the sound, or tune out completely.
• Leaving a room when people enter may be a way of avoiding too much auditory stimulation.
• Listening to and repeating TV commercials or songs could indicate that the person has gotten used to hearing those sounds, i.e., has desensitized himself to them. Listening to people talk is more difficult because people don't usually say the same thing twice, and no two people speak the same way.
• People with autism often have a monotone or peculiar intonations because they don't understand the concept of nuance, and that how you say something conveys an additional meaning to what you say.

• Some babies become stiff when you pick them up; some children will fall and cut themselves and not cry. Usually this indicates that their tactile sense is out of whack. Perhaps a child's tactile sensors are overly sensitive and he does not like to be touched, or they are very dull and he doesn't feel sensations the way most people do.

• A person may not like the feel of particular textures on their skin. Certain fabrics and shoes can make people with extremely sensitive tactile sensors uncomfortable.

• People with visual processing problems ?nd it hard to look at people straight on; usually they look from the side of their eyes.

• Rocking in a chair, or back and forth from one foot to the other, could be a stress release from too much stimulation, or not enough.
• Flicking of fingers could also be a release from stress, but if doing it in front of the eyes, it could be a visual processing stimulation.
• Awkward movements and running into furniture can be a symptom of poor body mapping, not knowing where one is in space, or poor fine and gross motor skills.

• People with autism are often lacking in the social skills, interests,and understanding which the rest of us ?nd so important. Also, a child with sensory processing issues will have difficulty being near other children who are, in his eyes, noisy and unpredictable, and who have textures and smells associated with them that the child with an ASD cannot tolerate.

• This can show a need for sameness. Usually children who line up toys are also the ones who do not like change in their routine, may have repetitive speech, and do not like to see the furniture moved into a different pattern in their home.
• They may have a hard time making sense of their world, and so the sameness in certain areas provides a predictability and security missing from an existence which they are having a hard time comprehending.

• Temper tantrums or meltdowns in children can be a reaction to sensory overload, or to a change in the sameness that provides security.
• Places with a lot of light and noise, such as supermarkets and waiting rooms with fluorescent lighting, are really hard on people with sensory processing issues.
• Aggression toward others could be for any number of reasons, such as sensory overload (e.g., a sudden loud noise near someone's ear could cause them to jump up and strike out at the person making the noise, as it can be very painful).
• Self-aggression could be due to seeking sensory stimulation, feeling pain, or frustration.