




































Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
 https://doi.org/10.47488/dhrp.v3iS2.100 

 

 
 

 
DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 93 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 93-97 

 

COMMENTARY 

Conditions Associated with Autism 

 

Yarely Martinez1,2, Dianna Cid1,2, Lyzzette Hinojosa1,2, Artemio Belmontes1,2, Orlando Reyes1,2, 

Sarahi Gonzalez1,2, Sara De Leon1,2, Kiveli Torres1,3, Arianna Reyna1,3, Ashley Solis1,4,  

Judith Gomez1,4, Trista Valdez1,4 

 
1 3rdAnnual Junior Clinical Research Internship, South Texas Academy for Education & Training in Research, DHR Health  

   Institute for Research and Development 
2 Roma High School ISD 
3 Zapata High School ISD 
4 Weslaco East High School ISD 

 

Received: November 2, 2023 

Accepted for publication: November 3, 2023 

Published: November 30, 2023

 
 
Introduction 
 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a 

prevalent neurodevelopmental condition that is found 

to be relatively misunderstood. In 1911, Eugen 

Bleuler, a German psychiatrist, initially believed 

people with autism suffered from schizophrenia and 

hallucinations; however, during the 1970s, child 

psychologists believed that rather than suffering from 

any sort of hallucinations, the children were simply 

lacking an unconscious symbolic life.1 With further 

research and experimentation, psychiatrists redefined 

“autism”(1). Heterogeneous neurodevelopmental 

condition is the proper term for what happens 

neurologically for those with ASD.2 The way 

professionals determine whether or not someone has 

autism is not through a work of tests, but rather, 

observation of the person's developmental behaviors.2 

There are many types of autism, and include “high-

functioning autism” such as Asperger's Syndrome, and 

“low-functioning autism” such as Autism Spectrum 

Disorder (ASD).  Data from the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, show there is an increased 

risk of autism if bared over a certain age.3 The 

increased risk of being treated differently, increased 

risk of aggression amongst others and self, found ⅕  

higher mortality rate amongst those on the Autism 

Spectrumr.4 There are many psychological and mental 

conditions associated with ASD. A few conditions 

include, and not limited to Obsessive-Compulsive 

Disorder (OCD), anxiety, attention deficit  

 

 
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and 

eating disorders.4 

 

Depression and Anxiety 

  

One of the main factors of having autism is 

dealing with anxiety and depression; which is the most 

common mental illness found in children with autism.5 

The most frequent co-occurring condition in children 

with autism spectrum disorders is anxiety, however, 

the possible effects of anxiety on social and 

educational results of these kids hasn’t been carefully 

investigated. Children with High Functioning Autism 

(HFA) are a bit more likely to get anxiety, and children 

who are diagnosed with Low Functioning Autism 

(LFA) are more prone to depression.5  

The rate of death by suicide has sky-rocketed by 7 ½ 

times in people with autism than those without an 

autism diagnosis.6 The increased suicide rate in autism 

may be due to a vast increase in symptoms of 

depression because autistic people have been shown to 

quadruple in lifetime rates of depression.7 

 

Anxiety is mostly measured using subscales 

from behavioral instruments, which usually do not 

describe the range of anxiety symptoms in children 

with autism spectrum. Depression and anxiety 

symptoms are shown among individuals with autism 

spectrum disorders (ASDs) of various ages and IQs, 

and depression/anxiety symptoms are associated with 

higher IQs and fewer ASD symptoms.8 



Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
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Symptoms of anxiety in children with autism 

vary from temper tantrums to self-injury, frequent 

running and climbing, hyperactivity, sleep problems, 

problems socializing, and attention deficit (8). 

Common symptoms of depression in children with 

autism include difficulty communicating, which gives 

them a higher risk for suicidal self-harm, suicidal 

thoughts, further suicidal ideas, and more 

repetitive/compulsive behavior.8 Depression 

symptoms in children partially explain this 

association. 

 

A non-drug anxiety treatment helping 

children with autism-linked depression is cognitive 

behavioral therapy. CBT’s goal is to change how 

children with autism think about themselves which 

ultimately helps reduce the negative 

thoughts/responses.8 CBT is used to address some of 

the common characteristics of autism. These changes 

include using pictures, concrete language, lists, 

videos, or social stories, and involving the special 

interests the children with autism may have.9 

 

Antidepressants can also be used to treat 

anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders however, 

children and teens who have autism often report side 

effects from those drugs including “behavioral 

activation,” such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness, or 

trouble sleeping.9 

 

An analysis of 14 studies involving a total of 

511 autistic youth found that individual and group 

CBT therapy decreased anxiety symptoms 

moderately.9 The studies all involved children and 

teens who did not have intellectual disabilities. The 

CBT programs, with child-friendly names like Cool 

Kids and Facing Fears, typically lasted from 12 to 16 

weeks.9 In another small study of adapted CBT, almost 

a third of children with autism who completed group 

therapy at a hospital were found to be “free of their 

primary anxiety diagnoses”.9 

 

OCD and ADHD 
 

According to research, ADHD is known to be 

the most common coexisting condition in children 

with ASD.9 OCD is also a common disorder seen in 

children with ASD and they have a high 

comorbidity.12 OCD as well as ADHD, are both 

common in males who are in their childhood but are 

more common among women in adolescence and 

adulthood.13 

 

One significant factor common to both 

ADHD and OCD is the mental incapability to perform 

certain functioning challenges. Both ADHD and OCD 

can affect the child’s ability to control impulse, 

decision-making, behavior, movement, and social 

skills.10 Identifying which condition a child with ASD 

has is difficult due to the similarities in both co-

occurring disorders.11 

 

If a child is diagnosed with OCD, studies 

show that around 40% of symptoms start to disappear 

as they reach adulthood.14 If a child is diagnosed with 

ADHD, there is about a 50% chance of the child 

“outgrowing” their symptoms and behavior with the 

proper care (14). However, this can differ for each 

child due to their cognitive function and how severe 

their ASD may be.14 

 

Studies have demonstrated that 

approximately 1 in 8 children diagnosed with ADHD 

were also diagnosed with ASD.15 Another study was 

done with a total of 41,382 children with ASD , of 

which 14,109 were diagnosed with ASD and ADHD.13 

Studies show that about 1 in 5 children are inclined to 

have both ASD and OCD (16). In addition, boys are 

more likely to be diagnosed with both ASD and 

ADHD or ASD and OCD than girls are.15 

 

Some common symptoms for children who 

have ASD and OCD consist of compulsive behaviors, 

repetitive behaviors, and difficulty with change. 

Examples of these symptoms that children with ASD 

and OCD have are propensity to wear certain clothes, 

lining up toys in a certain way, or engaging in specific 

routines and rituals, intense focus/difficulty focusing, 

excessive sensory, and impulsivity/hyperactivity, talk 

excessively and interrupt conversations.14,15 A 

psychiatrist can diagnose and treat the child. Common 

treatments for a child with autism and ADHD are 

Ritalin and Concerta. These medications can help 

reduce hyperactive behavior in some autistic 

children.17 The best treatment for OCD that helps a 

child is exposure response prevention Therapy and 

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. ERP is a type of 

therapy that slowly exposes people to situations 

created to provoke a person’s obsession with a safe 

environment.19 CBT is the most effective treatment for 

mental health disorders, CBT is a treatment that aims 

to change thinking patterns.15 

 

Eating disorders 
 

Children can be known to be picky eaters, 

more so. In refekids that are diagnosed with ASD. 

Parents with autistic children are worried and stressed 

because their children are more limited to the types of 

food they can eat. The parents worry about the 



Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
 https://doi.org/10.47488/dhrp.v3iS2.100 

 

 
 

 
DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 95 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 93-97 

nutrition of their kids and how they’ll be able to get all 

the nutrients they need A recent study has shown that 

parents with children who have ASD tend to be more 

stressed and worried because their children are very 

selective with their food and the quality of the  child's 

diet is affected.19 Feeding difficulties and food 

selectivity are very common in general but statistically 

it shows 62% of children that have ASD will have a 

greater unhealthy eating habits.19 

 

Children with ASD can exhibit feeding 

difficulties and abnormal eating behaviors related to 

their ASD symptom. Children with ASD are also 

exposed to other conditions such as an 

avoidant/restrictive food intake in which a child 

refuses to eat. 

 

Children with ASD also have problems with 

communication that can result in trouble 

understanding the feeding needs of the child such as if 

they are hungry, full, or what their food preferences 

are.20 There are factors linked with feeding disorders 

in children with ASD that are considered to be 

multifactorial like sensory, behavioral, and 

psychological. Research has shown that if you have a 

food disorder, it may both be a cause and 

conceptualization of ASD.20 There are different types 

of eating disorders and their differences are important 

to recognize.  

 

Pica is a disorder where a person swallows 

non-food items without even knowing.21 The items 

that are consumed are non-nutritional and can be toxic 

to the body. Pica does not only affect people with 

autism and their mental disorders but children, 

pregnant women and other types of mental disorders 

as well. It is a very common condition but is not 

always detected.  

 

Treatments can differ from person to person 

but it usually involves a combination of psychological 

therapy, nutrition education, monitoring and 

medications.22 Professionals who specialize in eating 

disorders like a mental health professional can provide 

psychological therapy and a dietitian can provide 

education on nutrition. Treatment plans involve setting 

goals, treating physical conditions, finding affordable 

plans and discovering resources. Therapy can last 

either a few months or years and include different 

types of therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy, 

family based therapy and group cognitive behavioral 

therapy, either alone or in combination.22  

 

 

 

Conclusion 
It has been scientifically proven that many 

children with autism ranging from ages two to twelve 

have experienced or have been associated with some 

form of mental health disorder. In studies, as their age 

and IQ increased throughout the years, depression and 

anxiety were found to have an insignificant increase, 

and with such a rise in individuals with fewer ASD 

(Autism Spectrum Disorder) symptoms. The 

symptoms associated with depression and anxiety they 

were temper tantrums, self-injuries, hyperactivity, 

sleep problems, suicidal self-harm, suicidal thoughts, 

and further repetitive thought disorder. A common 

treatment used is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, yet 

there are still other antidepressant medications 

available. The second most common mental disorders 

in autistic children are OCD and ADHD; OCD is very 

common in children with ASD having a high 

comorbidity rate, while up to a quarter of children with 

ADHD accompany low signs of ASD. Symptoms of 

OCD range from following specific routines, wearing 

certain clothes, lining up toys, etc., while ADHD is 

talking excessively, constantly fidgeting, and 

moving/hyperactivity. Treatments include Ritalin and 

Concerta. Eating disorders may also affect children 

with autism as they are associated with suppressing 

thoughts and emotions. 

 

Acknowledgements 

 
Monica Betancourt-Garcia, MD, Program Director; 

Melissa Eddy, MS, Program Manager  

 

Funding 

 
Funded by DHR Health Institute for Research & 

Development; DHR Health; Region One ESC 

GEARUP College Ready, Career Set!; Region One 

ESC GEARUP College Now, Career Connected; 

Region One ESC PATHS; Region One ESC Upward   

Bound Math & Science; Benavides ISD; and Jubilee 

Academy-Brownsville 

 

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DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 96 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 93-97 

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Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
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DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 97 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 93-97 

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