Autism explained in an easy-to-understand way

What is autism?

Autism is a lifelong difference in the way we communicate, think, and relate to others. Here is autism explained in an easy-to-understand way.

Autism is more common than you think.

1 in 42 boys is diagnosed.

Currently 1 in 189 girls, but that is because autism in women was misunderstood. The estimate is actually:

1 in 84 girls.

Autism exists on a spectrum.

Every one of us is different (that makes us hard to understand).

Some of us have high-level jobs like doctors, graphic designers, and computer hackers.

Whilst others need a lifetime of support.

But we share some characteristics:

We love routine.

Sensory issues (such as noises, smells, or light) are a problem. That is because we see, hear and smell more. For example, 85% of us see colours so bright they are fluorescent.

We have special interests, that we really love engaging in—almost all of the time.

Some of us have difficulty relating to others.

Body language and facial expressions can be confusing to us.

And idioms and metaphors can be confusing to us.

As can jokes or sarcasm.

Stimming (repeated movements or sounds) helps calm us down.

And we like lots of alone time.

Because socializing can overstimulate us.

We are unique problem-solvers, but may not express it verbally.

We are truth-seekers. We are well-adapted to the information age.

We focus on observing the patterns and structure in our environment.

Many of us do not look like that we have autism. People think kids with autism are naughty, and as adults, we are often misunderstood. That is why it is called a hidden disorder.