WHAT IS AUTISM?
About autism
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people.
It is estimated that in Telford and Wrekin, 1,760 people have autism.
There is no cure for autism but early diagnosis and specialist support has been shown to greatly improve the quality of life of people with autism.
People with autism often have issues with sensory processing. They can either be over or under sensitive to any senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste, balance and self-awareness).
In short autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently to other people.
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Watch our video below for more information about autism.
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The video was created by our service users and team for our first cohort of Autism Champions 2018 to raise autism awareness in the community.
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"Autism is a spectrum condition. This means that whilst all autistic people can share certain difficulties, their autism will affect them in different ways."
People with autism may:
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Find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
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Find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
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Find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
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Get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
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Take longer to understand information
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Do or think the same things over and over
Some autistic people also have learning disabilities, mental health issues or other conditions, this means that individuals will need different levels of support.
"Remember that with the right kind of support, everyone with autism can live a happy and fulfilling life of their own choosing."
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