Autism and Asperger's syndrome: information for parents,
carers and anyone who works with young people
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self-help:
Introduction
This is one in a series of leaflets for
parents, carers and professionals working with young people
entitled Mental Health and Growing Up. The aim of these
leaflets is to provide practical, up-to-date information about
mental health problems (emotional, behavioural and psychiatric
disorders) that can affect children and young people. This leaflet
gives details about Autism and 
Autism
Spectrum Disorders, as well as offering practical advice about how
to get help if you think your child has one of these disorders.
What are Autism Spectrum disorders?
Autism is the central condition in the group
of difficulties known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Autism
Spectrum Conditions (ASC). For simplicity, we will use the term
ASD. They are neurodevelopmental disorders –
which means they are caused by abnormalities in the way the brain
develops and works. They affect approximately 1 in 100
children and young people.
Children and young people with ASD have
particular difficulties:
- in communicating
- being around people socially and with their
- behaviour
They have a range of intellectual ability from
having severe learning
disabilities, to being more academically able and in
mainstream education. About 10% of people with
autism may also have some special skills and abilities.
For a diagnosis of autism, there must be
evidence of unusual development in the first 3 years of life.
Asperger's syndrome is a term used for some higher functioning
people on the autism spectrum who have intellectual ability in the
average range and no delays in learning to talk. Many often
have intense interests such as train timetables, buses or
dinosaurs.
What are the characteristics?
The characteristics of children and young
people with ASD will vary depending upon their age, developmental
level and how severely they are affected.
The difficulties are also likely to change
over time. Parents are usually (but not always) the first to have
some concerns about their child’s development, and difficulties may
be noticed from as early as infancy. Overall, the problems and
behaviours can be divided into three main areas:
- Difficulties with
communication
Children and young people with ASD have
difficulties with both verbal communication (speaking) and
non-verbal communication (eye contact, expressions and gestures).
Some children may not be able to talk at all or have very limited
speech.
Some have good speech and language skills, but
still have difficulty using their speech socially or to sustain a
conversation. Their use of language may be overly formal or
'adult-like'. They may talk at length about their own topics of
interest, but find it hard to understand the back and forth nature
of two-way conversations.
- Difficulties with social
interaction
Children and young people with ASD have
difficulty understanding the 'social world', for example, they
often have difficulty recognising and understanding their feelings
and those of people around them. This in turn can make it difficult
for them to make friends. They may prefer to spend time alone, or
appear insensitive to others because of their difficulties
understanding social rules and expectations.
Difficulties with behaviour, interests and
activities
Children and young people with ASD often
prefer familiar routines (e.g. taking the same route to school
every day, putting their clothes on in a particular order), and
tend to have difficulties dealing with change, which they find
difficult and distressing.
They may also have unusual intense and
specific interests, such as in electronic gadgets or lists of
dates. They might use toys more like 'objects' to line up, for
example. They may have unusual responses to particular experiences
from their environment such as tastes, smells, sounds and textures.
For example, they could be very sensitive to the sound of a hair
dryer, or the feel of certain materials against their skin.
Some children show unusual repetitive
movements such as hand or finger flapping or twisting, or
complicated whole body movements.
What are the causes?
The exact cause of ASD is still unknown,
although research shows that a combination of genetic and
environmental factors may account for changes in brain development.
There is an increased risk of ASD and other developmental
difficulties in the brothers and sisters of children with ASD.
Where can I get help?
If you are worried about your child’s
development, or their school or nursery has contacted you about
their worries, the first step is to speak to your GP or health
visitor who will advise you and make a referral if necessary to the
local Child Development Team
or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
(CAMHS).
Making the correct diagnosis requires a
detailed discussion about your child’s early development, medical
and psychological assessment, and a comprehensive assessment of
your child's social and communication skills and intellectual
abilities. Some of this will be done by watching your child in
different settings eg school. There is no single test (eg blood
test or brain scan) for ASD. However, several different tests may
be carried out to exclude other conditions (e.g. hearing tests and
blood tests).
Learning Difficulties
Children with ASD can have general or specific learning
disabilities which may range from mild to severe. They
will have their own strengths and difficulties, both with their
learning and their abilities, like all children.
What can be done to help?
There are no known cures for ASD, but children
and families can be helped in many ways. Help includes:
- being given information about the condition
- managing behavioural difficulties
- developing social communication and emotional skills
- medication in some cases.
There are various approaches available to help
with communication and learning, and for children with ASD, it is
often better to intervene as early as possible.
Usually, there will be several people involved
in the care of a child with ASD, such as a speech and language
therapist, psychologist, occupational therapist and a medical
doctor (paedicatrician or child psychiatrist).
There might also be specialist courses on
parenting, parent support groups, advice on how to help the wider
family and more general advice about benefits, for example, from
local child health services and independent organisations such as
the National Autistic
Society.
Education
Children and young people with ASD often need
some special educational support. This may be in a special school,
or in a mainstream school with extra help to manage conflict and
upset feelings, and to get on with other people, for example.
Unstructured situations, such as break and lunch-times, can be very
difficult for some children with ASD, who may be vulnerable to
bullying or exploitation, particularly in secondary schools.
The future?
Most children and young people with ASD
continue to experience similar difficulties throughout life,
although generally they become less severe over time. Getting help
as early as possible for children and young people with ASD can
make a real difference.
Additional Resources
Social services can have a role to play in
providing practical support and help for the young person and their
family. They can provide help in accessing local services and
resources, such as respite care, and advice on disability
allowances. Many families also value support from their local
autism parent and carer support group.
References
For parents
The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome. Author Tony Attwood.
Jessica Kingsley Publishers: London.
Finding Out About Asperger's Syndrome, High-Functioning Autism
and PDD. Author Gunilla Gerland. Jessica Kingsley Publishers:
London
The Young Mind: An essential guide to Mental Health for
young adults, parents and teachers. Co-edited by
Professor Sue Bailey and Dr Mike Shooter. Royal College of
Psychiatrists.
For young people
Freaks, Geeks & Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to
Adolescence by Luke Jackson. Jessica
Kingsley Publishers: London
For teachers
Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Practical Strategies for Teachers
and Other Professionnals (2004). Publisher: David Fulton Publishers
Ltd. ISBN 1-84312-155-7.
Asperger Syndrome: A Practical Guide for
Teachers (2005) by Val Cumine. Publisher: David Fulton Publishers
Ltd.
Understanding and Teaching Children with
Autism by Rita Jordan and Stuart Powell. John Wiley & Sons
Ltd
Guidelines for working with pupils with an ASD in Key Stages 1
&2 and 3&4 . Author: South Gloucestershire
Council
Asperger’s Syndrome-Practical Strategies for
the Classroom: A Teacher's Guide. Leicester City Council
& Leicestershire County Council Education Department
Sources of further information
Series editor: Dr Mona Freeman
Expert review: Professor Ann Le Couteur
Editorial Board: Child and Family Public
Education Editorial Board.
Revised: March 2010; next due for review: March
2012.
© [2004] Royal College of
Psychiatrists. This leaflet may be downloaded, printed out,
photocopied and distributed free of charge as long as the Royal
College of Psychiatrists is properly credited and no profit is
gained from its use. Permission to reproduce it in any other way
must be obtained from the Head
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