What is Autism?

Autism is a neurological-developmental condition and it is not uncommon for people with autism to experience emotional health difficulties, especially anxiety.

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As the term "Autism Spectrum" implies, the degree to which people are affected by their condition varies significantly. Each individual will have different and specific challenges, but there are four key areas in which many people with autism are likely to have some degree of difficulty.

 

These include:

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• Social communication

• Social interaction

• Social imagination (i.e. putting yourself in someone else’s shoes)

• Sensory difficulties

 

If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve only met one person with autism.

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In defining autism, the National Autistic Society explains:

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"The definition of autism has changed over the decades and could change in future years as we understand more. Some people feel the spectrum is too broad, arguing an autistic person with 24/7 support needs cannot be compared with a person who finds supermarket lights too bright. We often find that autistic people and their families with different support needs share many of the same challenges, whether that’s getting enough support from mental health, education and social care services or being misunderstood by people close to them."