Interventions for Adolescent Students With Autism and Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders

Abstract

School nurses are often the forward-facing health care practitioner for youth, simultaneously managing mental health and medical care for their students while also interacting with students’ families and navigating consequences of family dynamics, including health literacy, social support, and financial issues. Thus, it makes sense to train school nurses on how to best interact with and support adolescents diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Part one of this three-part series will include an overview of mental health diagnoses often co-occurring with autism, associated challenges for the autistic adolescent, and school nurse interventions that may be helpful. The second and third part of the series will address the medical health diagnoses, nursing interventions, and overall discussion on how to best care for autistic adolescents in the schools.