Autism
Autism is a lifelong, developmental condition that affects the way a person communicates, interacts and processes information.
What is Autism
The term 'autism spectrum' refers to the range of ways the condition presents itself in an individual which can vary greatly from person to person and throughout their life. Together with David, a talented young illustrator who has Asperger's Syndrome, we have created an interactive animated resource to demonstrate this. You can have a look at it at www.understandautism.org.
With support from some very talented autistic individuals at Project Ability, we have transformed our animated resource into a video bringing Sam, Lisa, Ruby and Matt to life.
Meet them and understand their stories by watching the the 'Understand Autism' video.
Origins of our understanding
Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger are the pioneering clinicians who in the early 1940s first began to formally identify children and young people who would today be understood to be on the autism spectrum.
Although both were Austrian, Kanner lived and worked in the USA. Remarkably, within a year of one another, Kanner in 1943 and Asperger in 1944, they both published papers based on their clinical work. Both used the term “autism” to define the presentation of the children who had come to their attention. Asperger’s work remained largely unknown in the UK until a translation of his paper was published in 1991 (Frith, 1991).
References: Asperger, H. (1944/1991). Autistic psychopathy in childhood. Translated in U. Frith (Ed), Autism and Asperger Syndrome(pp37-92). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact. Nervous Child, 2, 217 – 250.
Autism and Other Conditions
Individuals on the autism spectrum can and often do have other conditions. This can include but is not restricted to epilepsy, metabolic disorders such as Phenylketonuria, sensory impairments and genetic conditions such as Fragile X syndrome and Downs syndrome (Boucher, 2009).
Conditions associated with the autism spectrum are not mental illnesses. It is however recognised that there can be a vulnerability to mental health and wellbeing. Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome (PDA) is also increasingly recognised as part of the autism spectrum.
For more information about PDA please visit the PDA Society website.
