What is Autism?

• Autism is a lifelong condition that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people and the world around them.
• It is a spectrum condition, which means it affects people in many different ways and to varying degrees.
• There are many people with Autism in the UK.
• You cannot always tell that someone has Autism just by looking at them

People with Autism might find these things difficult:

• Telling people how they feel
• Meeting other people and making new friends
• Processing sensory information and this can occur in one or all of the senses (touch, taste, sight, sound or smell). Individuals may be over or under-sensitive to certain sensory stimulation such as loud noises, bright lights or strong smells.
• Understanding what other people think or feel

What causes Autism?

• No one knows why people have Autism
• If your child has Autism, it is not because you are a bad parent
• Autism can be genetic. This means Autism can pass from parents to their children

What else is special about people with Autism?

• They may be very good at something, like maths, art or music
• They can be good at learning when they see someone else doing it
• They may be good at concentrating on one activity for a long period

Here are some highly successful people with Autism:

• Albert Einstein [Mathematician]
• Daryl Hannah [Actress]
• Michael Palin [Comedian]
• Bill Gates [Entrepreneur]
• Willard Wigan [Artist]

Useful websites/information

• http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi/film.aspx a great short sequence that gives you an idea of what sensory overload is like
• http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi.aspx lots of useful information- part of the TMI campaign
• http://www.theguardian.com/tmi/2016/apr/01/autism-and-the-overload-effect an article giving the background behind the short film-and an insight into family life for the family involved in making the short film
• aettraininghubs.org.uk/parent-guide – a useful guide for parents on working with schools and finding a school for you child (developed by AET and DFE)
• http://www.autismuk.com –lots of useful information and forums
• http://www.paains.org.uk/pdfpack_complete.pdf – useful information booklet on autism and how it affects people-with some real life examples
• https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk –useful website with reviews and a blog –base largely around educational needs/provision
• http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi/film.aspx   a great short sequence that gives you an idea of what sensory overload is likehttp://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi.aspx lots of useful information- part of the TMI campaignhttp://www.theguardian.com/tmi/2016/apr/01/autism-and-the-overload-effect an article giving the background behind the short film-and an insight into family life for the family involved in making the short filmhttp://www.autism.org.uk/professionals/training-consultancy/online.aspx details of a 5 module course-available onlinehttp://www.aettraininghubs.org.uk/parent-guide – a useful guide for parents on working with schools and finding a school for you child (developed by AET and DFE)http://www.autismuk.com –lots of useful information and forums

  http://www.paains.org.uk/pdfpack_complete.pdf – useful information booklet on autism and how it affects people-with some real life examples

  https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk –useful website with reviews and a blog –base largely around educational needs/provision

PLEASE NOTE:

If you want to find out more about the provision for children with Autism at Queensbridge, please speak to Adam Blakey or Ayesha Begum [SENCOs].

Many thanks for reading this and for your commitment and support.