What is ASD?

Autistic people may act in a different way to other people

Autistic people may:

• find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
• find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
• find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
• get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
• take longer to understand information
• do or think the same things over and over

Autism is not an illness

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. 

It means your brain works in a different way from other people.

It's something you're born with. 

Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older.

If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.

Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a "cure". But some people need support to help them with certain things.

Autistic people can live a full life

Being autistic does not have to stop you having a good life.

Like everyone, autistic people have things they're good at as well as things they struggle with.

Being autistic does not mean you can never make friends, have relationships or get a job. But you might need extra help with these things.

Autism is different for everyone

Autism is a spectrum. This means everybody with autism is different.

Some autistic people need little or no support. Others may need help from a parent or carer every day.

Some people use other names for autism

There are other names for autism used by some people, such as:

• autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the medical name for autism
• Asperger's (or Asperger syndrome) is used by some people to describe autistic people with average or above average intelligence

It's not clear what causes autism

Nobody knows what causes autism, or if it has a cause.

It can affect people in the same family. So it may sometimes be passed on to a child by their parents.

Autism is not caused by:

• bad parenting
• vaccines, such as the MMR vaccine
• diet
• an infection you can spread to other people

Autistic people can have any level of intelligence. Some autistic people have average or above average intelligence.

Some autistic people have a learning disability. This means they may find it hard to look after themselves and need help with daily life.

Autistic people may have other conditions

Autistic people often have other conditions, such as:

• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• dyslexia
• anxiety
• depression
• epilepsy

Signs of autism in children

Autism in young children

Signs of autism in young children include:

• not responding to their name
• avoiding eye contact
• not smiling when you smile at them
• getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound
• repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body
• not talking as much as other children
• not doing as much pretend play
• repeating the same phrases
• Autism in older children

Signs of autism in older children include:

• not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling
• unusual speech, such as repeating phrases and talking ‘at’ others
• liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes
• having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
• getting very upset if you ask them to do something
• finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own
• taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like "break a leg"
• finding it hard to say how they feel
• Autism in girls and boys
• Autism can sometimes be different in girls and boys.

Autistic girls may:

• hide some signs of autism by copying how other children behave and play
• withdraw in situations they find difficult
• appear to cope better with social situations
• show fewer signs of repetitive behaviours
• This means autism can be harder to spot in girls.

How to get diagnosed as autistic

1. Talk to someone for advice

If you or your child have signs of autism, the next step is to talk to someone about it.

You could speak to:

• a GP
• a health visitor (for children under 5)
• any other health professional you or your child see, such as another doctor or therapist
• special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) staff at your child's school

Ask them about referring you or your child for an autism assessment.

An assessment is done by autism specialists. It's the only way to find out if you or your child are autistic.

Tips for when you speak to someone

Do

• write a list of the signs of autism you think you or your child have and bring it with you
  
• ask people who know you or your child well (like friends, family or teachers) if they have noticed any possible signs you could put on your list
  
• bring a pen and paper so you can take notes
  
• bring your child or someone who knows you well with you, if you think it might help (you do not have to)

Don’t

try not to talk too much about other things – autism should be the main thing you talk about

2. Have an autism assessment



An autism assessment is where a team of autism specialists check if you or your child are autistic.

An assessment team may:

• ask about any problems you or your child are having
• watch how you or your child interact with other people
• speak to people who know you or your child well, such as family, friends, your GP or your child's teachers
• At the end of the assessment, you'll be given a report saying if you or your child are autistic.