Autism - The Facts


Increasingly common, and often misunderstood, Autism is now being elevated to a status of international importance  with the first UN-sponsored World Autism Awareness Day - but what issues face those with the condition closer to home in the UK?
Estimates suggest there could be more than half a million adults in Britain with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), which includes Asperger syndrome, this range of conditions often makes it hard for people to make sense of the world around them, often leading to anxiety, social exclusion and possible economic deprivation.

As the condition is characterised by difficulties in forming social relationships, problems with verbal and non-verbal communication and the development of narrow obsessional interests, it can be difficult for both adults and children with ASD to form lasting relationships and lead to social exclusion.

Experiences of autistic people and their families can vary dramatically, depending on the support they receive, which part of the country they live in and their symptoms.

People with Autism experience symptoms in three key areas;

Communication: problems with speech, gestures, facial expressions, body language.

Social Interactions: problems with relationships, lack of empathy and understanding, inappropriate eye contact, poor social skills.

Flexibility of Thought: rigidity and inflexibility, resistant to change, obsessional and ritualistic behaviours.

These three difficulties are known as the Triad of Impairment. Working with people with autism requires knowledge and experience in identifying and working with the individual client’s manifestation and implementing strategies to help to develop and support the client to live a full and active life.

In February, The National Autistic Society (NAS) launched a report suggesting nearly two thirds of adults with autism in England do not have enough support to meet their needs.

At Advantage Healthcare we have a strong base of experience of working with people who have Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Asperger syndrome throughout our organisation.

We are very lucky that within our organisation we have a Regional Nurse Advisor who has extensive experience of working with individuals with ASD and their families.  She has written several articles and is an invaluable reference point for our organisation. We also have a member of our reginal support team who worked for over five years as a Residential Social Worker in a school and therapy centre for children with autism.

Using these valuable banks of experience we have been able to work with a number of people and families with ASD, training our staff to recognise and react to behaviors and anxieties triggered by the triad of impairment – social interaction, imagination and interpersonal relationships – and labour the importance of routine, preparing people with ASD for changes and understanding the difficulties of social exclusion and difficulty with integration.

We have good clinical and practical experience of delivering a person centered therapy service to people within their own homes, in a residential setting and in residential schools and therapy centre’s.