Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder — page 1 — WHAT IS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER Every day we meet lots of different people and experience lots of different things Our brains are responsible for making sense of everything we see hear smell taste and feel Autism spectrum disorder more commonly known as autism is the name for a whole range of disorders which affect how the brain does this People with autism understand the world differently than others and as a result can find some things like communicating learning and playing more challenging AROUND 1 IN EVERY 68 CHILDREN IN THE U S HAVE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER FACT 4

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder — page 2 — Autism is different in every person and the traits it causes can range from mild to severe Because the effects of autism are a range or spectrum we call them autism spectrum disorders FACT AUTISM AFFECTS BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN Autism is not an illness like a cold or sickness bug Illnesses are contagious which means they can be passed from person to person and only last for a short time Autism is not contagious and it is not something that goes away Autism is a lifelong condition but it cannot harm you It simply affects the way your brain interprets the world around you 5

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder — page 3 — One of the main things that autism affects is the way people learn Some people with autism might find they struggle with certain subjects at school whereas others might find one particular subject especially interesting People with autism often struggle with reading and writing and many have a learning difficulty called dyslexia In fact it is thought that the famous scientist Albert Einstein may have had dyslexia as well as some form of autism Einstein was especially talented at science but struggled with reading and writing ALBERT EINSTEIN 6

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder — page 4 — Autism also affects the way people interact with and understand other people For people with autism everyday conversations might be hard to follow For example they might find it hard to know when it’s their turn to speak when they are expected to listen to others and when they are allowed to interrupt They might not understand other people’s jokes or why they find certain things funny All of this can make people with autism feel left out or lonely Over the next few pages we will learn more about what autistic traits are and how they affect people 7

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