Understanding Autism
(Whiteboard Animation transcript)
Possibly one in every 100 children is autistic. It’s something that affects communication and how the interact with the world around them.
You might hear autism referred to as a spectrum. This means there are many ways that autism can affect people. Some people will be affected more than others and the level of support a person will need throughout their life will vary.
For example, a person with autism may use alternative methods to communicate. They might speak excessively loudly or quietly, repeat things they have just heard or require additional time to process what they hear. Their understanding might also be literal so some phrases, jokes or sarcasm might get misunderstood.
Occasionally, people with autism may have difficulties sleeping. They may have particular fascinations, interests or prefer to have regular routines. Some people have behaviours that challenge those around them and this can include aggression and doing harm to themselves. Challenging behaviour is often a form of communication or born of frustration, so understanding the needs of a person with autism and teaching better ways to communicate can help them to manage their feelings and behaviour.
Many people with autism also have a related learning disability such, or other diagnoses such as sensory processing disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. All can learn and develop but some may require specialist support throughout their lives.
Sometimes people with autism can have heightened senses or decreased sensitivity. Sights, sounds, touch, taste & smell can be unbearable and cause anxiety and even pain. Alternatively, some people may not experience pain or extreme temperatures and will rock or spin to stimulate their senses.
Understanding new and unfamiliar situations and adapting to change can cause anxiety for those with a diagnosis of autism or related disorder. Developing relationships and friendships with others is a way to manage that stress, along with self-regulation strategies.
People tend to begin developing relationships with others in their early years, but this process can be more complicated for children with autism who may have missed some of the social milestones that lead to the ability to understand other people’s feelings and make sense of their behaviour.
At I Support Behaviour we work towards better lives for people with autism and related dsabilities, by positivitely supporting the individual and those aound them.
