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Life Expectancy

Stevo

I recently read on the internet a survey in Sweden about life expectancy of children with autism, and was quite shocked.

Does anybody know if life expectancy is lower with a child with autism, my son aged 7 was diagonised last year,he is great kid and has lots of friends unlike some on the spectrum so i am lead to believe.

My major worry is school,as he is bit behind other classmates, and then off course getting a job.

Anyway if anyone has any figures re life expectancy question would put my mind at rest.

Many Thanks

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    In addition to all of the above reponses which all help to understand these statistics there are a couple of points to make.

    Autism is a spectrum condition and it includes some who are completely unable to communicate with other people. These people are unable, or sometimes severely disinclined, to go to the doctors or to ask for help. This will lead to problems festering and getting out of control.

    Some people with autism have very bad diets - very little variety, very little fruit and veg, some just drink coke etc etc. This can lead to problems.

    The mental health consequences - which particularly affect people without a diagnosis - can lead to suicide and also great difficulties when dealing with medical services.

    Many of these issues can be avoided because you have already found, at an early stage, that your son has autism. You can make sure that he has a sensible diet and that he learns about the importance of a balanced diet. You can help him avoid developing anxieties about health issues by showing him that people go to the doctor to get fixed rather than going to the doctor life threatening conditions. You can help him develop a healthy attitude to dealing with problems in life. He will probably meet a lot of difficulties in his life and the crucial thing is to continually look for the positive and to treat negative events as opportunities for learning.

Reply
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    In addition to all of the above reponses which all help to understand these statistics there are a couple of points to make.

    Autism is a spectrum condition and it includes some who are completely unable to communicate with other people. These people are unable, or sometimes severely disinclined, to go to the doctors or to ask for help. This will lead to problems festering and getting out of control.

    Some people with autism have very bad diets - very little variety, very little fruit and veg, some just drink coke etc etc. This can lead to problems.

    The mental health consequences - which particularly affect people without a diagnosis - can lead to suicide and also great difficulties when dealing with medical services.

    Many of these issues can be avoided because you have already found, at an early stage, that your son has autism. You can make sure that he has a sensible diet and that he learns about the importance of a balanced diet. You can help him avoid developing anxieties about health issues by showing him that people go to the doctor to get fixed rather than going to the doctor life threatening conditions. You can help him develop a healthy attitude to dealing with problems in life. He will probably meet a lot of difficulties in his life and the crucial thing is to continually look for the positive and to treat negative events as opportunities for learning.

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