What is Autism?

Autism is often referred to as ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism is a life-long neurodevelopmental condition, it is estimated that at least 700,000 children and adults are autistic in the UK (National Autistic Society)

It is a spectrum condition, which means every Autistic person is different, with different strengths, different needs and different levels of support that may be required.

Some Autistic people may be completely independent, whereas others may need higher levels of support to do things on a daily basis. It is a hidden disability, which means you may not be able to tell if someone is Autistic.

There are three common features of Autism, which might affect the way a person:

• interacts with others in a social situation
• is able to communicate with others
• experiences the world around them.

Sensory needs

Autistic people often can have sensory needs that can have a significant impact on their daily life.

They may be hyper-sensitive to noise, texture, smells, lights which can be overwhelming or very uncomfortable. This can impact them in busy environments, such as class rooms or the supermarket for example.

Many Autistic people may also have sensory seeking behaviour, e.g needing to spin, jump, watch movements of toys or lights, enjoy certain sounds or textures.