Providing Support for People With Learning Disability and Autism
autism explained
What is autism?
Though a disability, autism is a different way of experiencing the world, not an illness to be “cured”. Like a learning disability, autism is a lifelong condition. Autism is sometimes referred to as a spectrum, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism is not a learning disability, but around half of autistic people may also have a learning disability.
ASD
Autism is often referred to as ASD or autism spectrum disorder. Autistic people may share some traits, but also be very different from one another.
There are three common features of autism, which might affect the way a person:
- interacts with others in a social situation
- is able to communicate with others
- experiences the world around them.
What is Asperger's syndrome?
People with Asperger's syndrome see, hear and feel the world differently to other people.
People with Asperger's syndrome will not usually have a learning disability, however they may experience challenges such as specific learning difficulties, anxiety or other conditions.
Signs of autism
The signs of autism will be different for everyone, and affect different people in different ways in different environments (they are dimensional), but you might notice some of the following if your child has autism:
- difficulty interpreting verbal and non-verbal language
- difficulty 'reading' other people and expressing their own emotions
- sensory sensitivity and highly focussed interests
- repetitive behaviour and routines
- behaviour that challenges, such as episodes of frustration or in some cases violent behaviour.
What causes autism?
It’s not clear what causes autism. It may be caused by genetic and environmental factors affecting the way the brain develops.
Can autism be cured?
No, autism is a different way of seeing and experiencing the world. It’s not an illness or disease that can be treated or cured.
Autistic people can live independent and fulfilled lives.
Some autistic people need little or no support. Others may need support from their parents, carers or teachers every day.
Like everyone else, autistic people can be good at some things and struggle with other things.
Autistic people can have any level of intelligence. They can be successful in friendships, relationships, and in their careers.
Does autism run in families?
Autism can affect people in the same family. So it may sometimes be passed on to a child by their parents.
More research is needed to understand the genetics that may play a part in autism.
More traits of autism
Beyond the diagnostic criteria, the autism community have created terms for the experiences they have as autistic people. These include “special interests”, “meltdowns” and “shutdowns”.
Special interests
Many autistic people are intensely focused on special interests, often from a fairly young age. These bring them great joy and can last for life or change over time.
A special interest could be anything. It could be a member of a boyband, a historical event or a form of transport.
Autistic people may become experts in their special interests, and often like to share their knowledge.
Being highly focused helps many autistic people to achieve academically and in the workplace. But they can become so immersed in their special interests that they forget about other areas of life.
Meltdowns
Meltdowns are extreme expressions of emotion that happen when an autistic person gets overwhelmed. This can look like a panic attack, or a tantrum.
It’s important to remember that meltdowns are not tantrums. They are very distressing for the autistic person, who has lost control of their behaviour.
Meltdowns can be brought on by triggers like:
- Changes in routine.
- Breakdowns in communication.
- Being overwhelmed by sensory input (for example, loud noises or too many demands).
An autistic person having a meltdown might cry, shout or scream. They might also lash out by hitting, kicking or biting objects, themselves and others.
Meltdowns look different for everyone. For most, they will be very draining, and leave the person very tired afterwards.
Shutdowns
Shutdowns are another way that autistic people might respond to being overwhelmed. This is when the autistic person goes quiet or “switches off”.
The person might not seem “like themselves”. If they are usually verbal, they might start struggling to form sentences, or even go non-verbal. This is because their difficulties with processing can become more pronounced than usual.
Often, an autistic person experiencing a shutdown will want to be alone. They might want to lie down and might avoid any sensory input like light or sound.
Ways of communicating
There are thousands of ways to communicate and connect – be it through speech, sign language, touch, movement, gesture, sound, pictures, objects or electronic aids.