Autism services – children

Autism is not a type of illness or disease. It simply means your brain works in a different way from other people, so you may experience and interact with the world in a different way to those around you. 

Autism can affect people in different ways. 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

Autism services can provide assessments and diagnosis for your child if your doctor, health visitor, or another professional believes they may be displaying signs of autism.

The team can provide advice to your GP and other healthcare professionals who are supporting you and your child, and can signpost you to local support services. 

Depending on your child’s age or individual needs, they may be seen through their local Child and Adolescents Mental Health Service or by their local Community Paediatric Service.