www.autismconcern.org

You may have heard the words autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ASD, high functioning

autism, autism spectrum condition/disorder and not been quite sure what it meant. The

purpose of this guide is to clearly explain what it all means.

You may be reading this guide because you, your child or someone you know has been

diagnosed with autism in any of the guises mentioned above. Inside you will find

information on what that really means, some tips on how to cope with it and what to do

next.

“What would happen if the autism gene was eliminated from the gene pool? You would

have a bunch of people standing around in a cave, chatting and socialising and not

getting anything done.” ― Temple Grandin

What is Autism?

Autism is a disability/condition affecting three main areas:

difficulty with social interaction

difficulty with social communication

difficulty with social imagination or inflexibility of thought

There can also be a wide range of additional problems such as sensory differences, fears

and anxieties, attention and organisation and coordination.

Often people with autism are referred to as being on the spectrum. The word “spectrum”

is used because while all people with autism share three main areas of difficulty, their

condition will affect them in very different ways. It is estimated 1 in 100 people in the UK

have autism, this equates to around 700,000 people. There is no cure for autism and it is a

lifelong condition which means that a person will always have it.

Registered Charity Number: 1062611

Difficulty with Social Interaction

Difficulty with social interaction can mean any of the following:

Poor eye contact

Unable to read body language

Misreading facial expressions e.g. if someone is crying with laughter they may

assume they are sad because there are tears

Inappropriate laughing/giggling in the wrong situation

Not understanding ‘personal space’. They might stand too close to someone when

talking or they might need more personal space than you do

Not appreciating the purpose of conversation and small talk

Difficulty with Social Imagination or Inflexibility of Thought

Difficulty with social imagination or inflexibility of thought can mean any of the

following:

May have an obsessive attachment to objects

Preoccupation with specific topic or interests that dominate their thoughts

Unable to appreciate that someone has thoughts, feelings, responsibilities

Dislikes changes in routine or uncertainty

Has a particular way of doing things and will strive to ensure its always done that

way

Difficulty with Communication

Difficulty with communication can mean any of the following:

Some people may have limited, if any, expressive language, others may use words

advanced for their age

Difficulties processing instructions and complex sentences

Often takes things literally e.g. difficulties understanding idioms like “not enough

room to swing a cat”

Echolalia – may repeat back what you are saying to them or repeat dialogue from a

favourite film or TV show

What is sensory processing?

When we receive sensory information about smells, noises and touch we process

and organise this information so that we feel comfortable and secure and are

then able to respond appropriately. If a person has sensory processing

difficulties they are not able to do this and it will affect them in a number of

ways:

Difficulty with movement due to poor balance skills

Struggle with dressing independently, especially with fastenings

Very sensitive to light

Become upset by loud or unexpected noises

Seem clumsy and drop things a lot

May avoid touch or contact - it can be particularly painful to be touched

gently, the pressure of a big ‘bear’ hug may feel good though

May struggle to wear socks (because they feel the seam too acutely) or wear

a particular t-shirt (because the tag is too itchy) or they don’t like particular

towels because they are too rough

Find different food textures difficult to cope with and have a limited diet0

(“picky” eater)

Can’t focus in busy environments

Unable to tolerate strong smells or perfume

These are just a few examples of potential everyday sensory issues

It is now recognised that many people on the autistic spectrum have sensory processing

difficulties

For free, specialist, advice call us on 0808 808 9090

or email iag@autismconcern.org

We’re open 10am-4pm Monday-Friday.

Follow us on Twitter @autismconcern,

‘like’ our page on Facebook www.facebook.com/autismconcern

and see our website www.autismconcern.org to keep up to date with

new groups, information about our activities and autism in your community

Recommended Reading

Please find below a list of 10 books that which have been recommended by our parent members

as being particularly useful in understanding autism.

Martian in the Playground: Understanding the Schoolchild with Asperger’s by Clare Sainsbury

ISBN: 978-1849200004

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida

ISBN: 978-1444776751

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon ISBN: 978-0099450252

All Cats Have Asperger’s Syndrome by Kathy Hoopmann ISBN: 978-1935543237

Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence by Tony Attwood and Luke

Jackson ISBN: 978-1843100980

The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome by Tony Attwood ISBN: 978-1843106692

Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew: Updated and Expanded Edition by Ellen

Notbohm ISBN: 978-1935274650

The Autistic Spectrum: A Guide for Parents and Professionals by Lorna Wing

ISBN: 978-1841196749

Parenting a Child with Asperger Syndrome: 200 Tips and Strategies by Brenda Boyd

ISBN: 978-1843101376

Different Like Me: My Book of Autism Heroes by Jennifer Elder ISBN: 978-1843108153

Autism Concern have ensured that all of

these books are available to borrow

free at your local Library Plus