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Understanding Autism

Raising Awareness:

An Autism Spectrum Disorder {ASD} is a condition which affects communication, behaviour, social interaction and interests. Approximately 1 in every 100 people in the UK are on the autistic spectrum and boys are generally diagnosed more than girls.

There is no cure for autism, but a number of therapies can be used to stabilise and control it. These include: speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, educational support and other specific interventions – because the severity and nature of autism varies from person to person, it can be hard to work out what will be the best therapy for someone. Also, some types of therapy can consist of hours of intensive work and this is not always possible for families, be it for financial or emotional reasons.

As well as specialists helping the individuals affected, parents and carers are also given training to help support and help their child. The National Autistic Society {http://www.autism.org.uk/} website provides useful information and advice for parents, relatives and carers. Another good website is the Research Autism website {http://researchautism.net/}, which provides information on the impact of autism on the family.

One thing autistic children struggle with is communication – and examples of things parents could do to help them communicate better are as follows: address your child by name so that they know you are talking to them, keep background noise to a minimum, keep language simple and speak slowly and clearly with pauses between words, use simple hand gestures and allow time for what you've said to be processed.

There are a number of conditions associated with having an ASD, including sleeping problems, depression, epilepsy, ADHD and occasionally medication may be prescribed to help treat these. It is important to note that not everyone with autism will have these problems, it depends on the individual.

There are several signs and symptoms that are commonly seen in those with autism. Symptoms are generally present before the age of three, though the diagnoses may come years after. For example, in early infancy children may not babble or use vocal sounds. Older children may have difficulty with eye contact, facial expressions, body language and other non-verbal forms of interaction. They may also lack interest in other children or may gravitate towards older and younger children, not peers of the same age. 

Emotions can be hard to understand for them and they may also find it difficult to show how they feel. Starting or taking part in a conversation will also be hard – language development can be delayed, and autistic children won't use gestures or signals to compensate. They tend to repeat certain words or phrases spoken by those around them – either immediately or later – without formulating and developing their own language skills. Some children will also continually repeat the same pretend play, whilst others won't demonstrate any at all. 

Those with an ASD also like to stick to the same routine and even little changes may trigger tantrums – these are often mistaken as rude behaviour, when the reality is, they can't be controlled. Some children may flap their hands or twist, flick their fingers when they are upset or excited. Others may engage in repetitive behaviour, such as lining things up or opening and closing doors.

It is not known what causes autism – in the past, some people believed it was the MMR vaccination, though a number of major studies have found no evidence.

Some people may go through childhood without a diagnosis - however, being diagnosed as an adult can mean a chance for getting the care that is needed and may also offer an explanation for parents and families. Adults on the autistic spectrum will need help in getting stable jobs and learning how to live independently.

If you have an ASD, need support or help or would just like to know more, there are a number of resources available. As well as the websites mentioned above, ther is loads of stuff on social media and the internet.

The other side of the coin:

Often, in the case of autism, we always how hard it is for the parents and families who have to care for an autistic individual. However, to better understand the condition and to help raise awareness, I feel it would be beneficial to try and comprehend autism from an autistic person's view. Below are some resources that can help you do just that:

Personal accounts:

Thank you for reading! by thefineideayoucrave