Understanding Autism
World autism week is fast approaching. At this time awareness and the profile of autism is raised.
What is autism?
Autism stays with people all their life as it is a development disability that affects a person’s communication, how they relate to other people and their sense of the world around them.
Autism is a spectrum disorder meaning that the condition will affect people in different ways, requiring different amounts of support. Some people with autism live their lives almost independently, whereas, others may require a lifetime of support as they may also have accompanying learning difficulties. People with autism may have over or under sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes and colours.
Autism stays with people all their life as it is a development disability that affects a person’s communication, how they relate to other people and their sense of the world around them.Who is affected by autism?
Over half a million people in the UK have autism which works out as around 1 in 100 people. Everyone can be affected by autism whatever faith, nationality and background they come from, although autism appears to affect more men than women.
What causes autism?
Research suggests that a combination of genetic and environmental factors may account for changes in brain development, this research is on-going and no exact cause has been found. However, we do know that autism isn't caused by someone’s upbringing or social circumstances and that it is not the fault of the person with the condition.
How do people with autism see the world?
People with autism see the world as a mass of people, places and events which they struggle to make sense of that can cause anxiety to them. They may find everyday family life harder as they struggle to relate to other people.
About autism
There are three main areas of difficulty that people with autism share:
- Difficulty with social communication
People with autism have difficulties with verbal and non-verbal language, with many having a literal understanding of language and think that people always mean what they say. They find it difficult to use or understand facial expressions, tones of voice, jokes and sarcasm.
Some people with autism may not speak, or have fairly limited speech. They prefer to use sign language or visual symbols themselves but will usually understand what other people say to them.
Others have good language skills but still hard it hard to grasp the give-and-take nature of conversations, often repeating what the other person has said and talking at lengths about their own interests.
When talking to someone with autism it helps to speak to them in a clear and consistent manner giving them time to process what has been said to them. Don’t expect eye contact from someone with autism as it may make them feel uncomfortable to look you in the eye and don’t touch them without warning as it may upset them.
People with autism have difficulty fitting in socially because they find it hard to recognise other people’s emotions and feelings. They also find it hard to express how they're feeling themselves.
- Difficulty with social interaction
They may not understand the unwritten social rules which most of us pick up without thinking. They may appear to be insensitive because they have not recognised how someone else is feeling. They may prefer to spend time alone rather than seeking out the company of other people. They may not seek comfort from other people and appear to behave strangely as it is not easy for them to express feelings, emotions or needs.
People with autism may find it hard to make friends as they may be unsure how to form friendships.
Social imagination allows us to understand and predict other people’s behaviour, make sense of abstract ideas, and to imagine situations outside of our daily routine.
- Difficulty with social imagination
People with autism find it hard to understand and interpret other people’s thoughts, feelings and actions. They also find it hard to predict what will happen next, or what could happen next and understand the concept of danger. They find it hard to engage in imaginative play and activities, prepare and plan for the future and cope in new or unfamiliar situations.
Although people with autism have difficulties with social imagination they still are creative and imaginative, with people who have the condition becoming artists, musicians and writers.
Picture credits:
No comments:
Post a Comment