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#1. Seizures
Adults with autism are prone to certain medical conditions.
A big one, number one, seizures. This is very common among individuals with autism. In a lot of the studies of children with autism, this isn't seen as much, mainly because the seizures tend to start in adolescence, and so this is something that often will carry into adulthood. And sometimes they have one or two seizures, and that's it. But if it's recurrent, it usually starts in adolescence.
#2. Obesity
Number two, obesity is a big one. When you look at studies in Europe, they don't see that as much, so this tends to be a little bit more of American culture fitting in. But at the same time, it's important to keep in mind that individuals with autism have a lot of sensory issues and tend to be a little more picky eaters. And so, because of that, it's something to pay close attention to.
#3. Sleep Problems
Number three, sleep problems. Individuals with autism tend to make a little bit less melatonin in their brains, which is what helps us regulate our sleep. And so because of that, a lot of them have difficulty sleeping, and that's actually one of the first things we try to tackle as clinicians is to try to get them to sleep if they're having behaviors, if they're having depression and anxiety. Because if they're not sleeping, they're not really able to deal with the other problems.
#4. Constipation
Number four, constipation. Now this sounds a little silly, like, "Okay, that's not a big deal." For this population, it can be a huge deal. If they are a little irregular with their bowel movements, it can cause lots of problems in other areas. They don't eat as well, again, they don't sleep as well, and they're more likely to have poor behaviors. And so this is something to keep a very close eye on.
#5. Balance Issues
Number five, balance problems. A lot of falls, a lot of lack of coordination, and this is something to watch out for. Once it starts, there are little things you can do to try to optimize their balance, such as physical therapy or determining if they need a cane or a walker. But for the most part, it's mostly about keeping them safe. There isn't a whole lot that you can do to stop the progression except to optimize those things as best we can.
In summary, adults with autism experience lots of common medical problems. The main ones being: 1) Seizures. 2) Obesity. 3) Sleep problems. 4) Constipation. 5) Balance problems.
updated: October 14, 2025
originally published: December 9, 2015