What we understand
Social communication, social interaction and how we process and experience the world has a fundamental impact on how we function and cope in everyday life. They are essential skills that help us develop friendships and relationships, understand our own and other peoples’ emotions and why people react/respond in a particular way, recognise safe and unsafe people and situations, and cope with uncertainty and change. Autistic people experience fundamental differences in these areas, which can create stress and confusion and breakdowns in communication between autistic and non-autistic people..
The core features of autism are currently categorised within two broad areas of development:
It is the experience of persistent challenges within these core areas and the distress that can often accompany these differences that usually leads parents to seek an autism diagnostic assessment for their child. People can get diagnosed in childhood or later in adulthood.
SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES
Many autistic people also experience sensory processing differences such as heightened or lowered sensitivity to noise, touch, taste, smell, visual information, body awareness and movement. These sensory differences can lead to stress and anxiety such as the experience of noise levels being painful to the autistic person or the sensation of someone’s touch lingering long after the person has touched them causing the autistic person discomfort.
Autistic people also often describe their sensory processing differences as being an important factor in maintaining a good sense of emotional wellbeing. For example, particular clothing and textures may be soothing and regulating for some autistic people, colours and shades of light may create a sense of joy and elation for others whilst others may experience positive emotions with preferred music or smells. It is important to recognise this and build in positive sensory experiences into autistic peoples’ everyday routines where possible.
People's Stories
James' Story
Emily and Nathan's Story
Autism and the spiky profile
Although the core areas of development mentioned above are impacted in different ways in autistic, each person will present with their own distinct “spiky profile” of needs, strengths, abilities and differences. Some autistic people may require specialist support in various areas of their life, such as in education and learning, personal care, and independence. Whereas other people may experience more mild or subtle challenges in life, and may require less intensive support. Many autistic children and adults can excel in specific areas of interests such as music, engineering, computing, and other creative arts. Attention to detail, punctuality, compassionate, diligence and insightfulness are just some of the qualities that many autistic people have.
emerging ideas about autism
Autism is a widely debated subject. Many people, particularly the autistic community, advocate that descriptions of autism should move away from a ‘deficit model’ to a ‘social model’ of disability. This shift in thinking focuses on the central role that systemic barriers, lack of understanding of autism and negative attitudes of others towards autistic people as having a central role in the difficulties that autistic people experience.
See below for more recent emerging ideas about autism by Dr Damian Milton- Autistic Academic.
Initially coined by Judy Singer in 1998, the term ‘neurodiversity’ was based on the concept of Biodiversity, with the idea that diversity helps to sustain an ecosystem. In her thesis, she explored whether it would be better to see neurodivergent conditions in terms of a social minority. The idea of neurodiversity was then taken on by other writers, often utilising an approach more aligned with a social model of disability.
In 2014, Nick Walker suggested using the terms ‘neurodiversity’, the ‘neurodiversity movement’ and the ‘neurodiversity paradigm’. In this sense, neurodiversity is stated as a simple fact of life, that all people develop somewhat uniquely without placing a value judgement on that development. The ‘neurodiversity movement’ has been used to describe those arguing for equal human rights for neurodivergent people. The ‘neurodiversity paradigm’ refers to a set of ideas that argue that such diversity is a natural and valuable form of diversity, and that there is not one ‘normal’ way in which a person’s brain develops.
The term ‘neurodivergent’ refers to people who are deemed outside of social expectations that are generally considered ‘normal’ or ‘typical’.
By Dr Damian Milton, Autistic Academic, University of Kent
Coined by the autistic academic Dr. Damian Milton, the theory of the ‘double empathy problem’ suggests that rather than locating the issue of social interaction difficulties and breakdowns in communication as solely due to autistic ways of thinking and ability to understand others, that there is the potential for mutual incomprehension. Due to both biological and social influences, we all experience life in our own unique ways (at least to some extent), yet when interacting with others with a very different understanding and perceptions about the world, such breakdowns are more likely. Whilst such problems can occur between any two people, this can be particularly the case between autistic and non-autistic people (and particularly with others one has had less social contact with). The empathy problems are said to be ‘double’ as both parties may struggle to understand each other.
In recent years there has been a growing body of evidence to support this theory. Relating to practice, it reminds all of us to be humble in our interpretations of others, and the effort required to build rapport. This is even more so the case when interacting with people who may struggle to communicate using formal language.
By Dr Damian Milton, Autistic Academic, University of Kent
Everyone is unique and have their own identity
The term ‘heterogeneous’ is often used to describe the autistic population because of the large variability of how the main features of autism can manifest in each child, teenager, or adult. It is important that families, professionals, and the wider population are educated about this. A lack of understanding of this can often leave autistic people at risk of not getting diagnosed, getting mis-diagnosed and not getting the right support at the right time when they need it.
A large number of the Autistic community identify as trans-gender or gender non-conforming.
Good support
Many autistic children and adults will thrive better when around people who are supportive, who have a good understanding of autism, and can effectively adjust their own communication and interaction styles. Autistic people can also thrive when in physical environments that are adapted to their specific needs such as having a quiet space to go if things are too much, comfortable lighting, expectations and rules made explicit through using visual supports such as checklists, schedule boards and to-do lists and using colours that the child or adult prefers to decorate the room. Some autistic children and adults may benefit from the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication or AAC.
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