What are the Barriers to Driving with ASD?
By Janet Lintala, DC
Nikki did a great job of touching on the challenges to driving with ASD in her blog post, “Driving with ASD Can Be a Struggle.” Many of you wrote in and wanted to know more. So this blog post will explore the list of challenges that we will be targeting in our upcoming book, Behind the Wheel with ASD.
But first things first. You will feel better and think much more clearly if you address some basic health problems that exist on the spectrum. These are clearly outlined in my award-winning book, The Un-Prescription for Autism (AMACOM Books/Harper Collins 2016): (Message us if you cannot afford a copy.)
- Basic Health challenges
- Brain inflammation and oxidative stress
- GI dysfunction and infections, acid reflux
- Immune dysfunction
- Seizures
- Attention and focus
- Irritability, difficult behaviors
- Sleep disruption
I give a step-by-step Action Plan on how to support or eliminate the above list. Do this first and you might be surprised at how much better you feel and how more clearly you can think once you do. I give several ways to quick-start this process in my other blog on this website, How to Use This Book.
For our upcoming book, Behind the Wheel with ASD, we plan on exploring not just the following barriers to driving, but giving you actionable steps to take to overcome them when possible.
- Physical Challenges (Vision, Sensory and Coordination barriers)
- Cognitive Challenges
- Literal thinking
- Theory of Mind
- How to feel more motivated
- Psychological Challenges
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood disorders
- Social Skills and the Rules of the Road
- Medications you’re taking and how they affect driving.
Nikki and I are going to provide tips, research and resources over the coming months to help you conquer your challenges and get a driver’s license to open up your world. We’d love your input, ideas, and feedback!
