post concussion can resemble autism

[Graceissufficient]

This must have been noticed many times, but new to me.

It's striking the overlap between the symptoms of some autism categories and PCS. "Sensory overload" in particular, the problems with noise and light and being overwhelmed in busy places, leading to anxiety and agoraphobia type behaviour. If I were a child I'd be crying a lot and having meltdowns in public.

I have a close relative with this type. I wonder whether birth head trauma could be a factor in a sub category of ASD? It wouldn't show up on scans of course.

I checked to see whether induction was associated with higher ASD and it is. Only one analysis of studies, but still. My child was induced when the birth process was already underway - madness in my view - and I had an extremely rapid birth as he battered his way out of my body. It felt like being eaten alive by a wild animal, and he can 't have enjoyed being rammed out so hard head first either.

No proof, just a hypothesis that it might be a factor in some cases. But a striking overlap though.

[Stockport8]

That’s an interesting theory. It certainly applies to my oldest child, but I ended up with an emergency section after 10 hours of labour following induction. So not necessarily trauma in the birth canal, maybe from the fast onset of labour?

[Stubble]

You might be interested in RDoc. It's an emerging research methodology that, instead of reducing neurological conditions to named 'illnesses' or syndromes, attempts to classify the impacts by cognitive domain.

Most illnesses that have a neurological component end up producing symptom similarities so the theory they are developing is that if we treat symptoms rather than just named conditions it opens up a more useful approach towards overall management.

My own observation was the way that my concussion symptoms mapped almost 100% with my long Covid cognitive issues; vestibular problems, word finding, short term memory etc.

When you flip things this way it opens up a whole new bunch of treatment potentials.

[Graceissufficient in reply to Stubble]

Yes, it's a logical approach in conditions where diagnosis can be subjective.

If concussion can cause extreme fatigue - which is widely attested - there would be a likely overlap with post viral exhaustion on symptoms.

[WonderingWanda]

I have a friend with autism and when I explained my symptoms she did say that it sounded exactly how she experiences the surroundings. The main difference seems that I am not quite so literal! The subtleties of nuanced behaviour around me is still something I pick up on but the noises and sights etc are definitely very similar.

Interesting birth theory. No idea about that!

[Graceissufficient in reply to WonderingWanda]

Yes, and I can see that I can cope mentally with the noise and light overwhelming barrage (walked through Leicester Sq the other day - horrible but not frightening) because I understand it from life pre concussion.

But if I were a child I would have no context and I would not cope at all. I would often refuse to go out. As it is my eyes are moving away from the assault in a v ASD way, and I am shrinking and hesitating and peculiar to the onlooker.

Once access to really detailed scans is easier and cheaper these mysteries might unravel. But not everyone ASD has big time sensory issues of course.

[Stubble in reply to Graceissufficient]

I managed to get lost in Soho a while ago and got very panicky. I used to work round there so I know the back streets really well, but on this occasion I was completely at a loss to know where I was for a few minutes..

Not nice.

Generally if I have to go into the West End I arm myself with my trusty noise cancelling headphones and something fairly calming to accompany me on my big adventure...!

[Bluesky36]

I noticed the similarities my self! , in myself.... flashing lights, excessive activity around me , back ground noise from a tv, ,sometimes even in the work environment having a radio in the back ground, machine noises and people talking...... , once early on having 3 , 3 year olds milling about screaming paying .... burn my head out for the afternoon . i was looking for ear plugs ...... don't know much on the birth aspects , but i will say a bad concussion makes me prone to sensory burn out .

[Graceissufficient in reply to Bluesky36]

Yes, it's striking. I read research long ago suggesting c25per cent of autistic people are the sub group with these extreme sensitivities.

So might this quarter have in the womb/at birth brain damage?

It'll be many years before they even look at it.

[Bluesky36 in reply to Graceissufficient]

where i live in a rural area, my solution is to go outdoors where nothing flashes , whines or grinds or talks , if i need a break ..... maybe some wind , bird chatter .... but it seems to work for me ... .... : just a note : after leaving the hospital 72 hours after admission. they just said good bye... not a word about what comes next . so, thank goodness for the internet !

[Graceissufficient in reply to Bluesky36]

Quite. There is a massive gap in provision for concussion.

I would hope Headway might campaign for those leaving A&E with concussion, or suspected, to be given a card with Headway's number and this website.

And in A&E and wards eyemasks and earplugs should be offered.

No one mentions that symptoms come later than the event.

Partly we are neglected because medics assume 100 per cent get better in a short time. It's not true. And the symptoms are not minor.