Amazing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Way of Life
- Mable Green
- Aug 16
- 6 min read
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? It's a complex neurodevelopmental disorder resulting in individual brain differences. Autism is a "spectrum" disorder because it includes many characteristics and levels of impairment, which can vary significantly from one person to another.
Neurodiverse
They are neurodiverse, a label first used by Judy Singer, an Australian Sociologist. Their ability to communicate and socially interact can create challenges for them. Some feel the need to engage in repetitive behaviours or activities. Autism is a "spectrum" disorder because it includes many characteristics and levels of impairment, which can vary significantly from one person to another. Some individuals with autism have mild symptoms. They can live relatively independently, while others may have profound impairments requiring extensive support and care.
What is Autism? Key characteristics and features of autism may include:
Social and Communication Challenges: People with autism often struggle with social interaction, including understanding and responding to social cues, maintaining eye contact, and developing relationships. They may also have verbal and nonverbal communication challenges, such as using and understanding gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice.
Repetitive Behaviours and Interests: Individuals with autism may engage in repetitive movements or activities, such as hand-flapping, rocking, or lining up objects. They may also have intense interests or fixations on specific topics or things.
Sensory Sensitivities: Many autistic individuals experience heightened sensitivities to sensory stimuli, such as light, sound, touch, taste, or smell. They may become overwhelmed or distressed by sensory input that others might not notice.
Rigidity and Routine: Individuals with autism often prefer routines and may become upset when routines are disrupted. They may find comfort in sameness and resist changes in their environment or daily schedule.
Strengths and Challenges: While autism presents challenges in various areas, individuals with autism can also have unique strengths and talents. Some may excel in mathematics, music, art, or other specialised skills..Formerly, sensitivities to their environment. I found an easy, straightforward read.
Every person with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unique.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) manifest differently in each individual on a spectrum, so the levels are a guide, not specific. However, there used to be a classification system that included three levels of support in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5).
Levels of Impairment
Level 3
(Formerly Asperger) "Requiring very substantial support.”
Social communication
Severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills cause severe impairments in functioning, very limited initiation of social interactions, and minimal response to social overtures from others. For example, a person with few words of intelligible speech rarely initiates interaction. When they do, they make unusual approaches to meet needs and respond only to straightforward social approaches.
Restricted, repetitive behaviour
The inflexibility of behaviour, extreme difficulty coping with change, or other restricted/repetitive behaviours markedly interfere with functioning in all spheres. There is great distress and difficulty changing focus or action.
Level 2
"Requiring substantial support.”
Social communication
Marked deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills; social impairments apparent even with supports in place; limited initiation of social interactions; and reduced or abnormal responses to social overtures from others. For example, a person who speaks simple sentences, whose interaction is limited to narrow special interests, and who has markedly odd nonverbal communication.
Restricted, repetitive behaviour
The inflexibility of behaviour, difficulty coping with change, or other restricted/repetitive behaviours appear frequently enough to be evident to the casual observer and interfere with functioning in various contexts. Distress and/or difficulty changing focus or action.
Level 1
"Requiring support”
Social communication
Without support in place, deficits in social communication cause noticeable impairments. These include difficulty initiating social interactions and clear examples of atypical or unsuccessful responses to social overtures of others. The person may have decreased interest in social interactions. For example, a person who can speak in complete sentences and engage in communication but whose to-and-fro conversation with others fails and whose attempts to make friends are odd and typically unsuccessful.
Restricted, repetitive behaviour
The inflexibility of behaviour significantly interferes with functioning in one or more contexts. Switching between activities is difficult. Problems of organisation and planning hamper independence.
The DSM-5 - The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition
These levels are used for diagnostic purposes to help professionals assess the level of support an individual with autism might need. The DSM-5, published in 2013, replaced this classification system with a more holistic approach that considers the individual's unique strengths and challenges across several domains. This change reflects the understanding that autism is highly variable and doesn't fit neatly into rigid categories.
Research
Research is investigating what causes autism, including genetic and environmental factors. There is no known cure for autism, but early intervention and support can help. Adults and children are supported with behavioural therapies, speech therapy, and education to develop skills, manage challenges, and improve their quality of life.
The idea of a Cure
Many children and adults see autism as part of their personality and personal power, and this is who they are. Cure means different things to different people. Those who can manage in mainstream school and, as adult, find their niche? Many autistic people struggle, and carers have a lifelong role of looking after their autistic children with constant concerns about who will look after them when they are gone. Society needs to include everyone and look after each other as it did in the past.
Visible needs
Caring for people with visible needs, such as deafness or pronounced social and communication issues, usually happens as these children are visible. In mainstream schools, this demands extra time and finances for the school. Many parents have a battle to secure support in an underfunded system.
The Invisible Children
What about those who go undetected and struggle? If autism is on a spectrum, more children and adults are experiencing the world in a different way than we realise. Many children cannot access learning, and the adults around them don't understand why or have the skills to help them.
Girls
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), boys are four times more likely to have ASD than girls. Is this an accurate reflection? Diagnostic tools highlight more boys' interests, and girls work hard to fit in and copy the social skills and mannerisms. Many girls learn to mask their autistic characteristics and are diagnosed as adults. Society's 60th anniversary continues, and mental health issues prevail.
National Autism Society
The 23rd of January 2022 marks the National Autistic Society's 60th anniversary. Lorna Wing, a Psychologist, formed a group of parents to fight for children with autism. There was no support for children labelled as having childhood Schizophrenia and put away in institutions for the rest of their lives.
The National Autism Society has been campaigning for autistic rights, research and best practices, training guidance and support, and more.
National Autistic Society changing the Law.
Recent research indicated people are waiting over two years on average for an autism diagnosis after seeking professional help. Autistic people can experience avoidable mental health problems because of this. So, in August 2015, we launched a campaign to help end the autism diagnosis crisis and improve things.
Early in 2016, we launched our Every Teacher campaign with Ambitious About Autism. Over 7,000 people signed our open letter calling on the Government to include autism as a compulsory part of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) for all new teachers in England.
Autism Act 2009
This act created a government commitment to provide a strategy for supporting Autistic adults. It provided legally binding guidance for local councils to deliver support, services, and the right to a social care assessment. However, a review of ten years of the Act of 2009, written by the All-party Parliamentary Autism Group on Autism (APAG), found that not enough has been done. Unfortunately, due to underfunding, two out of three autistic people are still not getting the support they need.
The Government refreshed the strategy in 2014. In 2021, they published a new approach, 'New strategy 2021-2026', which will include support for children and young people alongside adults, focusing on autism awareness, education, health, employment, reducing inpatient care, the criminal justice system and community care.
Based on Needs
Instead of using these specific levels, professionals assess autism based on the severity of symptoms in two core domains: social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive behaviours. The goal is to create a more individualised and person-centred approach to diagnosis and support for individuals with autism. A child with good language and cognitive skills may find social communication challenging.
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