Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Autistic spectrum disorder affects how a person processes the world, communicates, and relates to others. Research on twins suggests that roughly 83 to 84 percent of ASD risk is genetic in origin, with the remainder attributed to a mix of shared and unshared environmental factors. It is not a psychiatric illness in itself, and it is not something we treat as a problem to fix. But individuals with ASD frequently live with co-occurring psychiatric conditions that do respond to treatment, and those conditions often go unaddressed longer than they should.

ADHD, anxiety, OCD, tic disorders, depression, irritability, and sleep difficulties are all more common in people with ASD than in the general population. These conditions can look different in someone on the spectrum. Symptoms that might be straightforward to identify in a neurotypical patient can be harder to disentangle when ASD is part of the picture. A child with ASD who is melting down at school may be dealing with sensory overload, untreated anxiety, ADHD, or all three at once. There is also a tremendous amount of disinformation online about autistic spectrum disorder, making it vital to work with trained clinicians who can separate evidence from noise.

The challenge is how many psychiatric conditions are genetically linked with each other. OCD, ADHD, and tic disorders are all more commonly seen in people with ASDs. Evaluating and treating them effectively requires a clinician who can see the full picture rather than addressing each diagnosis separately.

Getting proper diagnoses and then appropriate care is not always easy. Early intervention makes a significant difference, and the longer co-occurring conditions go untreated, the more entrenched their effects become. That is why it matters to work with a clinician who has the background to evaluate what is actually happening rather than treating the most visible symptom in isolation.

Signs of Co-Occurring Conditions in Patients with ASD

Because ASD itself involves differences in communication, sensory processing, and behavior, it can be difficult for families to tell when a new problem has emerged on top of the baseline. Changes worth paying attention to include increased irritability or aggression beyond the person's usual pattern, withdrawal from activities or routines they previously tolerated well, and sleep disruption that does not respond to behavioral strategies. New repetitive behaviors or a significant increase in existing ones can also signal that something else is going on. Extreme difficulty with emotional flexibility and transitioning between tasks or situations is another common presentation, and it is often driven by co-occurring anxiety or ADHD rather than the spectrum diagnosis alone.

In children, co-occurring ADHD may show up as an inability to engage with structured tasks even when the content matches their interests. Anxiety may present as rigid insistence on routines, avoidance of situations that used to be manageable, or physical symptoms like stomachaches. Depression in adolescents and adults with ASD can be especially hard to recognize because the person may not express sadness in typical ways.

Research increasingly shows that girls may be just as likely as boys to have ASD, though they often present with milder or different patterns that are easier to miss. Older prevalence data skewed heavily male because diagnostic criteria were built around more visible, externalizing presentations. Families of girls who seem socially capable on the surface but are struggling internally should be aware that the diagnosis is not limited to the patterns most commonly associated with boys.

OCD and tic disorders are genetically linked with ASD and appear together more often than many families expect. When multiple conditions overlap, sorting out what is driving which symptoms requires careful evaluation rather than assumptions.

How We Approach Psychiatric Care for Patients with ASD

We start with a thorough evaluation that accounts for the person's developmental history, their current functioning, and what the family is observing at home, at school, or at work. The goal is to identify which co-occurring conditions are present and which symptoms are causing the most difficulty, so that treatment addresses the right targets.

Medication management in patients with ASD requires particular care. Individuals on the spectrum can be more sensitive to medications, may respond at lower doses, and sometimes have atypical reactions that would not be expected in neurotypical patients. We start conservatively, adjust slowly, and monitor closely. Families are part of that monitoring process because the patient may not always report changes in how they feel.

When ADHD, anxiety, OCD, or mood symptoms are identified alongside ASD, we treat those conditions directly rather than attributing everything to the spectrum diagnosis. We coordinate with therapists, behavioral specialists, and schools when doing so supports the overall treatment plan.

What to Expect

Your first appointment is an in-office psychiatric evaluation. Dr. Teitelbaum will review your history, ask about your symptoms, and take the time to understand what is going on before recommending a treatment plan. For children and adolescents, a parent or guardian is part of that conversation.

Follow-up visits are scheduled based on your individual needs. When starting or adjusting medication, more frequent check-ins help us monitor your response. Once treatment is stable, visits are typically less frequent.

After your first in-office visit, telehealth appointments are available for patients located in Florida. An in-office visit is required at least every six months.

When to Seek Help

If someone in your family with ASD is experiencing changes in mood, behavior, sleep, or daily functioning that go beyond their usual baseline, an evaluation can help sort out what is contributing. You do not need a referral, and you do not need to know what the additional diagnosis might be.

For non-emergency questions about scheduling or whether our practice is a good fit, call us at (561) 630-8530.