Autism

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It simply means your brain works in a different way from other people.

There are several signs which could indicate that a person may autistic. People with autism 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 

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.

It is important to know that autism is not a medical condition. Because of this there is no cure for autism.

Autism is 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.