Essay on Autism Spectrum Disorder and its Comorbidities

Autism spectrum disorder is complex in and of itself but that complexity is only compounded by the comorbid conditions that can come with it. Some of these include sensory processing disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and seizures. Understanding the disorder and its comorbid conditions is challenging yet important for parents, medical professionals, and educators. A common comorbidity of autism spectrum disorder is sensory processing disorder. Sensory processing disorder is the breakdown in the way the nervous system receives sensory input and translates it into the appropriate responses, motor and behavioral (Sensory Processing Disorder Explained, 2014). In the normal process, the first step there is some kind of sensory†¦show more content†¦This can cause difficulty in functioning with every day activities especially in a classroom setting. In the book The Challenging Child, Stanley Greenspan (1996) explained sensory processing disorder in this way; Imagine driv ing a car that isnt working well. When you step on the gas the car sometimes lurches forward and sometimes doesnt respond. When you blow the horn it sounds blaring. The brakes sometimes slow the car, but not always. The blinkers work occasionally, the steering is erratic, and the speedometer is inaccurate. You are engaged in a constant struggle to keep the car on the road, and it is difficult to concentrate on anything else (Greenspan, 1996, p. 4).† Interestingly, most people who suffer from sensory processing disorder do not have autism spectrum disorder. However, the majority of people with autism spectrum disorder have sensory processing disorder. In fact, studies performed by the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation have showed that 75% of people with autism spectrum disorder will have sensory processing disorder (Sensory Processing Disorder Explained, 2014). Another common comorbidity of autism spectrum disorder is obsessive compulsive disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a brain and behavior disorder where the person has unreasonable fears and thoughts that they have to do certain ritualistic or repetitive behaviors. 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