What happens if you think a child or young person has Autism.
Support is also available for adults with autism.
What is autism?
There is a debate about the most appropriate and accurate language which should be used to define autism.
The term Autistic Spectrum Disorder is still widely preferred by many people, as they feel that the term “condition” suggests that autism can be “cured”. From a medical perspective, and at the time of diagnosis the term Autistic Spectrum Disorder is used to ensure compliance with diagnostic standards.Autism can be thought of as a ‘hidden disability’ as people may not be able to tell that someone is autistic from their outward appearance.
Within children’s services, we use the following definition from the Autism Education Trust: Autism is a term used to describe a neurological difference in brain development that has a marked effect on how a person develops.
There are four areas of difference that are particularly important for staff in schools and educational settings to understand and pay attention to because most pupils with autism will have individual educational needs to be met in these areas. Every child and young person on the autism spectrum will have a range of abilities within each of these areas. Some children and young people on the spectrum may have high levels of anxiety.
Pupils on the autism spectrum have differences in:
- interacting
- processing information
- sensory processing
- communication
Autism is known as a spectrum condition because of the range of difficulties which affect people with autism, and also because of the range of ways the difficulties may present in different people.