7 Healthcast: Children with autism

Six-year-old Tyler and his nine-year-old brother Neil have a lot in common. The most significant being, they were both diagnosed with autism at a young age. Something that changed the entire family dynamic.

Maura Buckley, Mother

"It was heartbreaking to have it happen twice. Just dealing with the complex combination of their medical, behavioral, developmental, and communication problems was just immensely challenging for our family."

Also challenging was dealing with the boys’ gastrointestinal problems.

Maura Buckley, Mother

"Both of them have sever reflex and it interrupts their sleep and has interrupted their sleep since they were babies."

Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital say GI problems are seen quite often among autistic kids.

Dr. Timothy Buie, Massachusetts General Hospital

"They’re common problems like constipation, acid reflux, heartburn kinds of type problems."

But they can be tricky to diagnose.

Dr. Timothy Buie, Massachusetts General Hospital

"What’s interesting about kids with autism is they may not come to you and say, ‘I’m having a stomach ache.’ And we have to be as providers, I think, a lot more aware of what is going on with those children."

And being aware means asking questions and not assuming that a child’s behavior is just a result of their autism.

Dr. Timothy Buie, Massachusetts General Hospital

"I think in the last few years people have said, maybe this isn’t because of a child’s autism. Maybe this is a child with autism who can’t communicate their problems."

To help with that communication, the Buckley’s often videotape their boys and share that with Dr. Buie. And so far, it’s working.

Dr. Timothy Buie, Massachusetts General Hospital

"These are treatable disorders. It takes a little while to find the right medication if your child can’t tell you if they’re feeling better or worse, but most of these things are very treatable. You can get your child out of pain."

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