Condition : Autism

Autism is not an illness or disease, and it is not linked to intelligence. It is a neurodevelopmental condition, which means your brain develops and works differently to others’.

If you’re autistic, you may feel things differently, not react as is usually expected, or have repetitive behaviours or interests. This can create challenges in certain environments and situations which mean you need help in everyday life, but some autistic people don’t need any support.

Signs of autism include:

• finding it hard to understand how other people think or feel
• understanding words, tone of voice, or body language differently and/or take things very literally
• not understanding social ‘rules’, such as not talking over people
• noticing small details, patterns, smells, or sounds that others do not
• finding things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful, or uncomfortable
• having intense interests in certain subjects or activities
• having repetitive behaviours, such as saying the same phrase over and over or doing certain movements
• preferring order, predictability, or routine so you know what is going to happen
• getting anxious or upset in unfamiliar situations or if routines or plans are disrupted

Young children who are autistic may:

• not respond to their name
• get very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell, or sound
• perform repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers, or rocking their body
• not talk as much as other children
• not do as much pretend play

Older autistic children can seem like they’re talking ‘at’ others and find it hard to say how they feel. They may also get very upset if you ask them to do something.

Many autistic people learn to mask their symptoms, which can lead to mental illness.

Girls can be particularly good at masking. They will often learn from a young age to hide signs of autism by copying other people. This means they can appear to cope better with social situations and show fewer signs of repetitive behaviours. They may also cope by withdrawing in situations they find difficult, being quieter, and hiding their feelings.