Autism and the age gap

I want to talk to you about something I personally struggle with on a daily basis. I guess that’s kinda vague because, let’s be honest, I struggle with quite a bit.  I’ll be a bit more specific and focus on just one issue in particular. Let me start by asking you a question. Do you think that there can be a difference between a persons chronological age (think number of birthdays) and their emotional age? Anyone? If you said answered “yes” give yourself a shiny gold star because you are 100% correct.

I refer to the difference between chronological and emotional age as the age gap. Many kids with Autism will present with this age gap as part of the developmental delay. The Lost and Tired family is no exception. For the purposes of this post I will be sharing Gavin’s story because his is a really good example and it’s a situation that I personally struggle with.

What is the age gap?

Gavin is 11 years old. He has had 11 birthdays so far in his young life. However, while Gavin has experienced 11 birthday’s he remains about 3 or 4 years old emotionally.  What does this mean and how does this happen? Basically, this means that while Gavin is physically a pre-teen pubescent young man, deep down inside is still a toddler. As to why  or how this happened, I don’t have the answer. My best guess is that this is simply a part of the developmental delay that is a huge part of Autism.

Here’s a really bad analogy but I think it makes the most sense. Gavin is in many ways like the Incredible Hulk.  Remember, I did say it was a bad analogy but it will make sense.

Gavin is very intelligent and many times acts like he is 11 years old. However, when he get’s anxious, upset, angry, scared or even overly excited, he responds to these situations as though he is 3 or 4 years old.  This is why I choose the Incredible Hulk analogy for this. It’s a crude example but when Bruce Banner gets angry or upset he turns into the Incredible Hulk. For Gavin in particular, this is where many of the meltdowns come into play.  In other words,  Gavin is, in many ways, a toddler trapped inside the body of an 11 year old boy. Gavin’s the poster child for “Looks can be deceiving“.

Keep in mind that every child and adult with Autism is different and unique. Not every person will present with the exact same scenario but many do. The age gap is something many people are not aware of but should be.

Looks can be deceiving, especially with the age gap

We have all heard the phrases, looks can be deceiving or never judge a book by its cover. Those phrases are absolutely a perfect fit for this situation. One of the reasons I wanted to share this is because of my personal struggle with this very challenging situation. When Gavin is in the middle of a meltdown, I often struggle to see the situation for what it really is.  While I firmly believe that Gavin has at least some control over these meltdowns, there is much more going on beneath the surface then meets the eye.

I often forget that Gavin is quite prone to these behaviors because he is, in fact, only 3 or 4 years old emotionally. When I see Gavin having a meltdown, many assumptions are made because he’s 11 years old and should know better. However, if I could truly see Gavin for who he is at that very moment, I would see a much different picture. The picture I would see is that of a very small child, overwhelmed, upset, angry or scared. You would see that same small child responding in the only way they know how to at that age. This is where I struggle. I all to often forget who Gavin really is or rather how old he really is on the inside. In all honesty, it’s very difficult to remember this because Gavin is physically much bigger and stronger then the 3 or 4 year old little boy he is on the inside.

If who Gavin is on the outside matched who he is on the inside then the behavior wouldn’t appear so inappropriate. The problem, at least for us, is that Gavin is much bigger and stronger than a 3 or 4 year old little boy is. When he has a meltdown they are very dangerous. He can do quite a bit of damage to his environment during one of these meltdowns as well. I have to concern myself with the safety issues at that moment and often times the root cause is overlooked.

I know that I have to ensure everyone’s safety during on of these meltdowns but I don’ always know how to actually handle Gavin. I mean, how accountable for his actions is he? If he’s 3 or 4 years old on the inside and 11 years old on the outside how do I handle discipline? This is something we have struggled with for years. No one has the answers for us and Gavin certainly didn’t come with a set of instructions. Basically, Gavin and Emmett are on the same level as far as emotional maturity is concerned. Can we honestly hold Gavin any more accountable then we would Emmett? If Emmett were melting down or having a temper tantrum, no one would think that was out of place because they see a 3 year old little boy.  However, because Gavin is much older on the outside then he is on the inside and is in truth much more dangerous, everything is different.

The age gap complicates many things that are already complicated enough on their own. In Gavin’s case the age gap is pretty wide and doesn’t appear to be closing. In fact, with each passing year the age gap is widening. This is largely the reason why we are looking at childhood disintegrative disorder. Gavin’s situation is not typical but it very clearly illustrates a very common issue with ASD kids.  While most Autistic children won’t have such a dramatic difference between their chronological age and their emotional age, the age gap can be present none the less.

We as parents, must keep these things in mind. I know it’s very difficult to do much of the time, especially in the heat of the moment. However, if we are to be fair and understanding, we must take this age gap into account, if indeed it is present.

Your psychologist, psychiatrist or developmental neurologist may be able to help you identify whether or not the age gap is present and what the ages are. This knowledge can help you to better understand your child’s behavior.