Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, I have a 14 year old son with ASD and since before Christmas his anxiety levels have been really high, but this week things have got a lot worse...he can’t go in any lessons at school and his whole personality has changed.
The one thing that scares me is his eyes, at times they shake from side to side though anxiety I think but he is snapping and just really isn’t his happy smiling self.
would anyone have any advice for me to help him?
Do you know if something is going on? Problems with a teacher, some girls thing (either for himself or for a friend who may have lost interest in him as a result), problems with a friend...? Guess if you knew what brought it on it would be easier for you to see a way of helping him beyond just being there for him and making home a safe place. Not saying that there is necessarily anything specific that brought it on, it could just be puberty and the confusion that comes with it, but it seems like things changed quite suddenly, so it's probably worth investigating.
I agree, the keynote working out why his anxiety has peaked so much. I don't know how severe his ASD is which will have a bearing on things. It could be related to the general disruption of his routine over Christmas, a change at school, different classrooms, teachers, a new kid he doesn't like. It could just be general teenage angst playing out in his own way.
Ask him if you can, see if you can get him enjoying his favourite things and if that helps reset him back to normal, he might just need a bit of time. It's difficult but for many people, especially people with ASD early teens aren't the most happy times as it's part of becoming who and what we are whilst changes happen.