ABSTRACT
The usual description of autistic spectrum disorders as characterised by deficits in social and communication skills, and in the display of repetitive and stereotyped behaviours, may be supplemented by reference to a number of other aspects of behaviour and experience that become apparent when such people are seen in psychotherapy. The continual anxiety and physiological arousal tends to take its toll on the body, resulting eventually in psychosomatic illness of various kinds, particularly gut problems, headaches and migraines, and fibromyalgia. In recent years, interest has focused on the ways in which autistic phenomena seem to be related to how the brain as a whole functions, and unusual aspects of its internal connectivity. C. Schmitz and P. Rezaie conclude that, the neurobiology and neuropathology of the autism spectrum disorders remain poorly defined. Some studies report that children with autism show sensory hyporesponsiveness, especially those who are non-verbal, whilst others describe over-arousal and hyper-reactivity, along with over-focused attention and exceptional memory.
