Autism
What is Autism?
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that means the person has a different way of understanding other people and the world around them. It is not an illness or a disease so there is no ‘cure’ but with the right support difficulties can be managed and reduced.
Autism is sometimes called autism spectrum disorder or condition; this is because each person is different. Here are some of the things you might see in various combinations, but each autistic person will have their own strengths and difficulties in these areas.
This video from the National Autistic Society gives more information:
Difficulties with communication
- Limited or absent speech
- Taking what people say literally (thinking people mean exactly what they say)
- Not understanding jokes or sarcasm
- Preferring facts and logic
- Finding it hard to understand facial expressions, tone of voice and gestures.
- Only feeling comfortable when talking about topics they are interested in
- Repetitive in what they say
Difficulties with socialising and interacting with other people
- Not wanting to make eye contact
- Feeling awkward and not knowing what to say or do in social situations
- Difficulties making and keeping friends and romantic relationships
- Preferring to be alone and only doing activities they feel comfortable to do
- Finding it hard to take turns when playing games
- Not liking to be touched or comforted by other people
- Difficulty with seeing things from other people’s point of view
Difficulties with imagination
- Autistic people can struggle with make believe play or storytelling
- It can also be hard to imagine what other people might be thinking or feeling
Special interests
- Having special interests that they invest their time and energy into
- Becoming very knowledgeable about a specific topic and spending a lot of time involved in the topic
Sensory differences
- Autistic people may be overly sensitive to sounds, smells, touch, pain or light, finding these things uncomfortable, frightening or painful. Some people do not appear sensitive to these things at all
Routines
- Autistic people can find change and transition (going from one thing to another) hard, so they prefer familiar and strict routines
- Often people can feel worried and stressed by everyday activities such as going to school, meeting people and trying new things
- Difficulties with social communication and interaction and the differences in their interests, strengths and talents can make them feel left out and misunderstood by other people, which can lead to problems with low mood and low self- esteem
Some of the differences you might notice
Signs of autism in young children include:
- not responding to their name
- avoiding eye contact
- not smiling when you smile at them
- getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound
- repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body
- not talking as much as other children
- repeating the same phrases
Signs of autism in older children include:
- not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling
- finding it hard to say how they feel
- liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes
- having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
- finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own
- taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like "break a leg"
HELPFUL ADVICE
Autism is a spectrum condition which means autistic people have varying support needs. Some autistic people require significant support in their daily lives, while others need less support, and many autistic people live independently.
If you or your child have a diagnosis of autism, or are waiting for an autism assessment, or you/they identify as an autistic person, you may have to adjust the way you do things as you learn more about how autism affects you or your child. It can be helpful to use techniques and strategies known to help autistic children and adults manage the difficulties they are experiencing.
For details on techniques and strategies, visit Autism West Midlands’ information downloads page.
As everyday life activities can be challenging and cause stress and anxiety, some people find it helpful to learn ways of managing their anxiety. Check the help section on our website for Anxiety and Depression for helpful information, websites and apps.
Autism – Talia Grant
“So often at school autistic people feel left out, alone and just very isolated” - watch this video of Talia Grant from Hollyoaks talking about being autistic.