Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.
It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support. People with autism may also experience over-or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, lights or colours.
Other signs of Autism
People with autism may:
- Find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
- Find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
- Find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
- Get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
- Take longer to understand information
- Do or think the same things over and over
What causes autism?
There isn’t a known cause for autism, and no one knows if there even is a cause. What is known is that it can affect people within the same family, and can sometimes be passed from parents to children.
Asperger Syndrome
Asperger syndrome is a form of autism. People with Asperger Syndrome are often of average or above average intelligence. They have fewer problems with speech but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language.