Overview

What is autism?

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

Information:

If you think you or your child may be autistic, get advice about the signs of autism.

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

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
• 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
• finding it hard to say how they feel
• 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"

Autism in girls and boys

Autism can sometimes be different in girls and boys.

For example, autistic girls may be quieter, may hide their feelings and may appear to cope better with social situations.

This means autism can be harder to spot in girls.

Get advice if:

• you think your child might be autistic

You could speak to:

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

Getting diagnosed can help your child get any extra support they might need.

Signs of autism in adults

Main signs of autism

Common signs of autism in adults include:

• finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling
• getting very anxious about social situations
• finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own
• seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to
• finding it hard to say how you feel
• taking things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg"
• having the same routine every day and getting very anxious if it changes

Other signs of autism

You may also have other signs, like:

• not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people
• avoiding eye contact
• getting too close to other people, or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you
• noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not
• having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
• liking to plan things carefully before doing them

Autism in women and men

Autism can sometimes be different in women and men.

For example, autistic women may be quieter, may hide their feelings and may appear to cope better with social situations.

This means it can be harder to tell you're autistic if you're a woman.

See a GP if:

• you think you may be autistic

If you already see a health professional, such as another doctor or therapist, you could speak to them instead.

Getting diagnosed can help you get any extra support you might need.

Diagnosis

Where to find help and support

Newly diagnosed: things to help

Give yourself time

People react to a diagnosis of autism in different ways.

For some, it's a relief to find out why they or their child think, feel and act the way they do. For others, it can be a shock.

Try to give yourself time to come to terms with the diagnosis.

Remember:

• help and support is available
• even if things are hard now, they can get better
• you or your child are still the same person as before
• autism is not an illness or disease with treatments or a "cure"
• autistic people have things they're good at as well as things they need help with

Find help and support services

You might feel alone when you or your child are first diagnosed.

But there are places you can get support.

You can get help from:

• local support groups
• national charities
• other autistic people or parents on social media and forums
• your school, college or workplace
• your local council
• your GP or the autism assessment team that diagnosed you

Listen to other people's stories

Some people find it helpful to find out about other people's stories of autism.

The charity healthtalk.org has:

• stories of autistic people
• stories of parents of autistic children
• stories of grandparents of autistic children
• stories of siblings of autistic children

Important:

Remember, autism is different for everyone. What happened to other people might not be the same for you or your child.

Look out for other health problems

Autism is not an illness. But many autistic people also have other conditions.

These are not always checked for during an autism assessment.

See a GP if you have any concerns about your or your child's health. They can help you get any extra care you need.

Find out more about autism

It might help you and your family to find out more about autism.

There can be quite a lot to take in. You do not have to read everything.

You can get trusted information from:

• the NHS – for information about what autism is and advice for parents and carers
• National Autistic Society – for autistic children and adults, parents and carers
• Ambitious about Autism – for autistic children and young people, parents and carers