Children with autism present differently. I presented, I didn't know I was different, but the signs were there. My digestion problems mostly came later. But it often feels like my body is working against me and that affects my quality of life. I can eat something small. Foods that should be safe for me to eat, usually bring stress into the equation and my day starts to feel different. It's often difficult to hone in on the early signs, because there is usually little warning.
Bloating, pressure, a tightness in my chest. And sometimes, when things are really bad, even breathing feels like a task, let alone swallowing. Add cerebral palsy, being a second twin and being premature into the mix and it makes this health predicament nearly impossible to navigate.
With autism I already experience the world differently. Gut issues have always followed me. It's not something others will notice until such a time I struggle to go about my day normally. Studies show that up to 84% of people with autism experience gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. These aren't mild inconveniences and they affect quality of life. (Source: mayoclinicorg)
The most common issues are bloating, constipation, reflux, and diarrhoea. For those who have it, they don't always realise they feel poorly until anxiety creeps in from nowhere or when they know they need to eat, and their digestion takes a hit. The part people miss is that gut issues don't always stay in the gut. They affect the brain, focus, mood, and our ability to stay physically well.
There is no coincidence that the gut and the brain are connected deeply. The two-way communication system, called the gut-brain axis, means that what happens in the stomach doesn't just stay in the stomach. It sends signals to the brain that can trigger irritability, anxiety, and sensory overload. In people with ASD, this connection misfires. The gut microbiome – the delicate balance of bacteria that lives inside of us is out of sync. Many of us have what's called gut dysbiosis: low levels of good bacteria, and too many harmful ones. This imbalance affects not just digestion, but neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, chemicals that regulate how we're able to feel, react and function.
Sometimes I can tell when things feel off. Other times, I don't realise there's a problem until the problem's there. I start having trouble breathing and swallowing. But if like many people on the spectrum and you struggle with identifying internal sensations, it can be hard to explain – or even notice it's going wrong until it goes wrong. Autism sensory overload and digestion is something I will always have to deal with.
I've had to learn to work through the signs with autism spectrum disorder, (asd). Autism spectrum isn't easy. It continually tests me. But managing the gut health means managing life. I can't just eat foods. It's not just what I eat. It's noticing patterns and being kind to myself on the bad days. I've have to change how I eat, what I eat, when I eat and how much I try to do in a day. Because when I do too much, when I try to live a 'normal' life, it catches up with me – whether through my gut, my stomach, or my mind.
Autism and gut health is something I continue to work on.
GI issues are real, invisible, and often misunderstood. There needs to be more understanding and awareness and with awareness comes understanding. I still have to continue to work on finding relief, playing catch up on a quality of life, which for me is continually compromised.
