A. Autism Spectrum Condition is a complex condition which involves impairment of all modes of communication including understanding of facial expressions, tone of voice, body language and speech.
Q. Are Social skills also affected?
A. There is poor social timing, inappropriate eye contact, impaired acceptance, or rejection of body contact and a lack of awareness or appreciation of other peoples feelings. Some children and adults with Autism Spectrum Condition do enjoy having other people around them but they tend not to interact.
Q. Is imagination affected?
A. People within the spectrum of autism have a rigidity of thought processes, can be resistant to change and often have obsessional interests to the exclusion of all else. They may have irrational fears, and have no sense of danger, and little or no understanding of the various rules of society. Children within the spectrum of autism mostly have little imagination and lack the ability to develop play in the way other children do. Children with Autism Spectrum Condition may "play" with a toy but not use it in the usual way. A child with Autism Spectrum Condition may spin the wheels of a toy car but not place it on the floor and make the normal "vroom-vroom" sounds as other children do.
Q. Do all children and young people have behavioural difficulties?
A. Behavioural difficulties range from mild to severe and often appear to the onlooker as a temper tantrum. Little understood by society, these children, who look like any other children, are often classed as "naughty", "badly behaved", "ill mannered" etc.
Q. Does Autism Spectrum Condition affect understanding?
A. Anyone within the autistic spectrum has great difficulty in understanding the world around them and the part they play within it.
Q. Who is affected by Autism Spectrum Conditions?
A. Autism Spectrum Conditions affects more boys than girls, in a ratio of approximately 4:1. Autism Spectrum Conditions have no racial or social boundaries.
Q. Does living with someone with Autism Spectrum Conditions affect the whole family?
A. Having a family member who is within the spectrum can place great stress and limitations upon the entire family. Although people with Autism Spectrum Conditions do learn, and make progress just like everyone else, their skills and abilities remain impaired to a greater or lesser degree. Autism Spectrum Conditions has no cure, it is a life long condition, but people do progress. Children with Autism Spectrum Condition often lack many of the innate skills that we are born with, and often have to be taught how to react to situations, how to play, how to share information, and many other basic skills that we would normally take for granted.
Q. Are all people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions alike, do they all have "special skills"?
A. The patterns of behaviour displayed by people with Autism Spectrum Conditions are very variable, with no two cases being the same, a few show exceptional talent in areas such as music or art, but these are the exception. What sets Autism Spectrum Condition apart is the uneven rate of development and the high skill in one area as opposed to very poor skill in another. Some people with Autism Spectrum Conditions have speech, others do not, some have learning difficulties.
Q. Do children with Autism Spectrum Conditions have to go to special schools?
A. Some children within the spectrum of autism are in mainstream schools with extra support, some are in special schools, and some are in schools catering only for children with Autism Spectrum Conditions. Provision varies according to the area where you live, and the needs of individual children varies widely.
Q. What happens when people with Autism Spectrum Conditions become adults?
A. Some adults will live in residential care homes, some will live more independently, with varying levels of support. Residential and independent living schemes for adults are few and far between, and the quality of provision does vary widely. It is often difficult to match individual needs with available provision especially as many adults will need some level of support throughout their lives.
