Autism

Autism spectrum conditions are commoner in people with learning disabilities.

People with autism spectrum conditions see and understand the world differently than other people. They like things to be the same, like routines and structure and predictability. Autistic people can struggle with social communication and interaction and can have repetitive speech and repetitive behaviours. They may be over-fixated on specific items or interests.

No two autistic people are the same, which is why autism is a spectrum.

Autistic people are not mad or bad. It is not their fault, or their parents fault that they are different, they just are.

It is important to recognise when autism is present, as there are specific approaches and strategies that are known to be helpful.

Please see below a video presentation from Dr Laura Coulthard around The Language of Autism Project. The project worked with children and parent carers with lived experience looking at the language and terminology used around Autism and how getting this right is important.

In our resources section below you will see a number of videos:

• My Life with Autism – a series of videos from Matthew talking about his lived experience of autism throughout different aspects of his life
• Autism in the workplace – a series of films from experts with lived experience made by Atypical CIC support