Autism

Autism or ‘autism spectrum disorder’ (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how a person interacts with the world around them.

If a person has autism, they are sometimes referred to as being ‘on the autistic spectrum’. This is because there are different levels and types of autism. Autism symptoms are therefore wide ranging, and greatly differ from person to person. Symptoms of autism usually involve difficulties with communication, awkward interactions with other people, repetitive behaviour, and difficulty understanding or processing information.

Autism is quite common, with around 1 in 100 people receiving an autism diagnosis. It is more common in males. Many people who have autism also have a learning disability. A diagnosis of autism is usually made when a child is a toddler or before they get to school age, but some people are not diagnosed until much later in their childhood, or even in adulthood. A child with autism will grow up to be an adult with autism – autism is not a childhood condition, it is lifelong.

To find out more, visit the National Autistic Society’s, What is Autism? section.

We still do not know what causes autism. Research continues to investigate how and why autism develops in some people and not others. The general view is that lots of different factors work together to increase the likelihood of a child having autism, for example:

You may have heard about research from 1998, which incorrectly suggested that a child having the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination is a high risk factor for what triggers autism in some people. This research is widely discredited, proven to be wrong, and official advice is that there is no possible link. For more information about this, read the University of Oxford's Vaccine Knowledge For All page on the MMR vaccine and the studies that show it does not cause autism.

Autism is not caused by the way a person is raised, their parents’ behaviours or social circumstances.

Many parents and carers report that it took a long time for their child to be given an autism diagnosis, even if this was suspected for some time. This is because many different healthcare professionals are often involved in making a diagnosis, which is usually based on a variety of evaluations and reports from people who work in different fields. For example, your child may have to be seen and reviewed by your GP or health visitor in the first instance, who then decides whether or not they need to see a paediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or speech and language therapist. In most areas of the UK, a team of people work together to make a diagnosis.

Receiving a diagnosis of autism can be an emotional time, even if you had suspected your child may have the condition already. Remember, you are not alone. There are many sources of autism support available to you and your child. The National Autistic Society provides many helpful booklets with information about what to do after diagnosis.

Not everybody with autism will experience all of these symptoms or behaviours. Autism is a spectrum, so everybody experiences it to different levels and autism causes different behaviours, emotions and challenges for each person.

It is important to see a person with autism as an individual, and to try and understand them as a person, finding ways to meet their specific needs, rather than only seeing their condition. Many behaviours are responses to certain situations, and reflect that the person is finding something hard to deal with. Their autism triggers behaviour that they are unable to control.

As a parent or carer of someone with autism, it is important to focus on what they can do (as opposed to what they cannot or will not do), and possibly find ways to help them develop their abilities and behaviours. Read more about treatments for autism later.

People with autism are also more likely to have other healthcare conditions such as asthma, allergies, epilepsy, digestive problems, learning disabilities, mental health problems, lower immunity and viruses.

For more information about the symptoms of autism, The National Autistic Society provides an overview of symptoms and in-depth information about understanding behaviours.

Learning that your child has autism can be difficult to take in. It is likely you will experience a range of emotions after diagnosis. There will be practical and emotional challenges for you to deal with and to help your child to deal with. It is important to remember that you are not alone – thousands of families are experiencing similar things to you. There will be difficult times, but there are lots of ways to help manage autistic behaviour so that you, your child and other family members can have many positive experiences and a happy family life. Learning to manage your child’s autism will be ongoing - finding out what works best at home, or in different situations, will be a learning process.

It may help to understand what your child experiences in their daily life, and how they feel. The BBC iWonder page provides an interactive case study example about a boy called Eddie.

It may also help to understand what it is like to live with autism as an adult. The BBC provides an online video ‘Living with autism: Sarah’s story’ and there are many real life stories from autistic adults here.

The YouTube channel ‘Invisible I’ provides regular videos about the life of Katy Gough, a young woman with Asperger’s syndrome.

There is no cure for autism and a person will live with the condition throughout their life. There are no ‘quick fix’ autism treatments. However, there are approaches that may help a person to develop their social and communication skills and which may possibly change some of their behaviours. These may include finding the right ways to talk to your child, providing them with sensory stimulation (or reducing their sensory stimulation), providing them with alternative ways to communicate (e.g. signs and visual supports) and counselling. Each person with autism will experience their condition differently though, so it may take time to find the right solutions to suit a particular person’s needs.

The National Autistic Society provide a framework referred to as SPELL. This is not exactly a treatment for autism, but instead it is a recommended way for parents and carers to meet the needs of a person with autism. 

For more information on SPELL and other possible autism treatment programmes and approaches, visit The National Autistic Society website. The society also provides a parent support programme called EarlyBird to help parents of pre-school children with autism to learn new ways of supporting their child.

Child Autism UK provides services for families, such as programmes and training courses.

You may come across or hear about other expensive interventions that claim to have proven results, which quote scientific data or endorsements from medical professionals or parents. The general advice from official charities and organisations working for autism, is that these treatments for autism are often bogus, with unreliable ‘evidence’. Whilst some people may claim these have been successful for them, this is not necessarily the case for the majority of people. The NHS website provides a list of treatments that are not recommended and we recommend you discuss any potential autism treatments with your child’s healthcare team before embarking on them.

Some children or adults with autism will be prescribed medication to help treat symptoms for conditions related to their autism, for example, anxiety, depression, epilepsy or sleep disorders. A small number of people with autism may present behaviours that are aggressive or may cause harm to themselves or others. In these cases, it may be recommended that the person takes antipsychotic drugs to help calm these symptoms.

Research Autism provides a breakdown of all types of autism interventions, treatments and therapies, which you may find useful.

Having a child, or children, with autism, is likely to mean you have a different family life to the one you had imagined, or different to the lives of other families you know.

You may need to adapt your home environment to suit your child, and consider any changes to the usual routine very carefully (for example, holidays, house moves, redecorating). The National Autistic Society provides lots of advice about this.

If you would like to talk to other families who have children with autism, you may wish to get in touch with Contact a Family or The National Autistic Society who both offer support groups.

There are many products for autism available that help people with the condition to cope with everyday life, develop new skills, interact with others, relax or sleep, and understand the world around them.

Healthcare Pro are experts in providing daily living aids and autism aids, including many resources that people with autism may find helpful. Here are some examples of products that may help with a selection of common autistic behaviours:

Healthcare Pro also provides a range of assistive technology or "telecare". These electronic devices can help if you are providing care for someone with a variety of needs, and includes equipment for safety and monitoring. Some parents and carers of children with autism may find these useful.

We also provide a range of other products that may help with all areas of daily living. If you need further advice, our team of in-house occupational therapists are on hand to recommend products to suit your needs. Contact them on 0345 121 8111 or email: productadvice@nrshealthcare.co.uk

People with autism sometimes have difficulty with food and eating. This may begin during their very early years, even during the phase of weaning from milk to solid food when they are a baby. It is very common for people with autism to eat only a few foods, or have very specific tastes and requirements, for example, eating only soft food, crunchy food, etc. These autism eating habits sometimes lead to having problems with digestion, tooth decay, weight loss or weight gain.

Some researchers have suggested that autistic behaviours can be improved through diet, for example, eating a gluten free diet. Some people with autism or parents of autistic children report that dietary changes have led to improvement in some behaviour. However, there are no conclusive results from studies and little evidence to support these.

Some people with severe autism have low levels of key vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins and zinc. There are a host of autism supplements available online, for example, turmeric, but there is no scientific evidence to prove that these work.

Network Autism provides professional information about eating issues in people with autism as does the Association of UK Dietitians.

If you are concerned about the eating habits or diet of someone who has autism, or if you are considering supplements for autism, please speak to your GP or dietician first.

Exercise is important for children and adults of all ages. Many people with autism benefit from regular exercise. Some people will be willing and able to partake in sports and fitness, whereas other people may be less likely to do this. Exercise does not have to take this form though and many children and adults with autism enjoy running, jumping, walking and generally keeping their bodies active. Exercise may help with sleep, appetite, thinking, mood and give the opportunity to interact with others. Generally, if a child or adult is able to partake in physical activity in a safe manner, this is likely to be of great benefit to their wellbeing.

For information on how to access the benefits and financial support you are entitled to as a person with autism, or their parent or carer, please visit the GOV.UK website or the Money Advice Service.

Many people with autism would like to work and are capable of working, but for various reasons are unable to find work. This may be due to communication difficulties that stop them applying or interviewing for jobs, lack of understanding from employers about autism and, potentially, a lack of certain required skills.

People with autism often have lots of skills that make them very employable, for example, they may have a good eye for detail, be very good at remembering information, be very good at following processes, be very creative in their thought and ability, and stay very focussed on specific tasks or ideas.

The National Autistic Society provides a guide for employers on employing people with autism.

Asperger and ASD UK online forum

Autistics Worldwide Facebook group

Child Autism UK– Parent to Parent Support

Scope online community

Ambitious about Autism – a national charity for children with autism, campaigning for change and providing support and education

Autism Alliance – a network of autism charities that work in regions across the UK

Autism Network Scotland – an information hub that signposts people to professionals and information sources in Scotland

Autism Support UK – a charitable organisation providing training courses for parents of children with autism in the Greater Manchester area

Autistica – a charity for autism research

Asperger’s Syndrome Foundation – a small charity that promotes awareness of Asperger’s syndrome

Beyond Autism – a charity that helps people with autism through training, support and education

Child Autism UK – a charity that supports families coping with autism and provides training, advice and help to find funding

NHS – source of medical and healthcare information about Autism and related disorders

Scope – a national charity supporting people with disabilities

The National Autistic Society – the leading UK charity for people with autism and their families, providing lots of information on all aspects of living with autism, from diagnosis to independent living, as well as support services and an advice helpline