Autism is a lifelong neurological condition that affects a person’s capacity to communicate and relate to other people. Autistic children often establish a very personal sense of the world around them. They can have heightened or diminished sensitivity to light sound or touch, have highly focused interests, display repetitive behaviours and experience extreme anxiety and distress.
We believe this helps us understand why children behave as they do and prevents us from making incorrect assumptions about behaviour. Without understanding autism, professionals and parents naturally assume the social understanding that is the norm. Behaviour that arises from naivety or confusion can be interpreted as deliberate non-compliance or rudeness, when they are not.
Children and young people with autism can have problems with verbal and non verbal communication, such as facial expressions, tone of voice, jokes or sarcasm. Some children are nonverbal or have limited speech and use alternatives method of communication such as visual symbols or sign language.
Autistic children and young people can find it hard to cope in new or unfamiliar situations. Some children and young people with autism may also find it difficult to understand when a situation may pose a threat to them. They may struggle in group settings and require individual support to participate. As a result, it can be challenging for families to access services that meet their needs.
