About Autism
What is autism and how does it affect children and young people?
** If you're wondering why we use ASC instead of ASD, it's because it is now felt that Autism Spectrum Condition is an awful lot kinder, less stigmatising and more accurate than Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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Disorder is a horribly loaded word, that implies that we and/or our children have something wrong with us, as opposed to having a neurological difference. We do still refer to disability, because that is defined by any condition that can have such a profound effect, and that impacts on the ability to live an ordinary day to day life. As far as we are concerned, our children are incredible, and the rest of the world has a lot of catching up and adapting to do.
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These sections provide an overview about the different areas in which autistic functioning differs from neurotypical (or allistic) functioning. Not all of it applies to all autistic people, as we all have different profiles and experience strengths and difficulties in different areas - just like everyone. Scroll through the sections below, using the arrows to the side, to learn more about these differences.
SENSORY PROCESSING
Autistic children have a very different processing system than non-autistic people. A simple way to describe it is comparing two computer operating systems.
Apple i0s is markedly different to Microsoft Windows yet they both process the same information and produce the same outcome. However, the processes they use to do that are different to each other. They look different, have a different type of interface, and until relatively recently, couldn't 'talk' to each other.
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An autistic child, along with all autistic people, may experience sensory issues in different ways; some of us may be sensory seekers, lacking stimulation so rolling on the ground, touching surfaces, wrapping ourselves in huge blankets, and enjoying being constantly surrounded by sensory input. We may love listening to very loud music, or have the television turned up very loud. We may find weighted blankets extremely calming as the deep pressure relaxing and soothing.
It's very important to note that the sort of deep pressure that calms sensory seeking autistic children and young people is similar to the sort of deep pressure provided by breast binders. Autistic girls who wear binders may well assume that the positive emotions associated with the deep pressure provided, is evidence that they are indeed transgender or non-binary, as wearing the binder is a positive experience for them. We want to be absolutely clear however, that wearing binders comes with significant health risks and is a dangerous garment for adolescent girls and women to wear.
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Others may find ourselves overstimulated, so find it hard to cope with too much noise, state that we can 'hear' a constant hum of electricity, and often become overwhelmed by being around too many people. sensory overstimulation can be affected by noise, and what seems like a low level noise to a neurotypical person, may be experienced as very loud by us.
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There may be a host of sensory issues which can impact on the young person’s ability to tolerate certain types of clothing, to seek certain activities or avoid others in order to meet either sensory deprivation needs, or, indeed, to avoid sensory overload. This can manifest in children if they engage in activities that caregivers and/or school may see as gender non-conforming e.g a girl wanting to play a contact sport.
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Sensory issues may also impact clothing choices, with girls preferring loose, unrestrictive clothing such as leggings and T shirts; avoiding clothes that are tight, fitted, frilled, or that have fastenings that are complex or difficult for a young person with fine motor difficulties. This may be interpreted as a rejection of stereotypically feminine things, when in fact it is merely an avoidance of certain types of sensory input.
The effect of puberty on the adolescent autistic brain cannot be underestimated. It is long understood that autistic people generally find change or transition difficult and for some, traumatising . There is no greater change that an autistic child will undergo than the dramatic changes to their own body that occur during adolescence. This can lead to rejection of the sexed body; not because it is ‘the wrong body’ but because the changes are unwelcome.
Menstruation can also be a strong trigger for rejection of the female sexed body in autistic girls. The unpredictability of periods, along with the practical difficulty of managing them, can be a deeply traumatising experience. The development of body hair for boys and girls can be difficult and trigger sensory issues.
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