Christine McGuinness on hereditary autism in her family

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Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease, instead autism means your brain works in a different way from other people. Nobody knows what causes autism, or if it has a cause, but there are some behaviours which may autisitc people will exhibit. One in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, according to The National Autistic Society.

The NHS outlines a number of signs of autism in children, and suggests that diagnosing autism can be helpful to both children and adults.

It says that signs of autism in young children include not talking as much as other children, repeating the same phrases and not responding to their name.

Other linguistic signs can manifest in older children. The NHS says they may find it hard to say how they feel, or take things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like “break a leg”.

The NHS says you should get advice from your GP or health visitor if you think your child is autsitc.

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“Getting diagnosed can help your child get any extra support they might need,” the health body says.

Autistic children and young people can exhibit different behaviours to others, and Ambitious About Autism says “the sooner an autistic child’s needs are understood, the sooner support can be put in place to enable them to thrive”.

Therefore, it may be a good idea to get a diagnosis.

The charity notes that how the assessment is carried out depends on your local authority.

In its autism guidelines, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) says that every local area should have a multi-disciplinary team who will carry out the autism diagnostic assessment.

It can help to write a list of the signs of autism you think you or your child have and bring it with you to an assessment, according to the NHS.

Children with autism may not respond to their name or get very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound.

Other signs include “repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body”, according to the NHS.

Many autistic people experience sensory differences. Some signs of autism can surround a person’s food habits, and can vary between individuals.

Signs of autism in older children can include finding it hard to say how they feel and liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes.

Some people on the autism spectrum may also have a very keen interest in certain subjects

“Remember, autism is different for everyone. What happened to other people might not be the same for you or your child,” the NHS website reads.

Autism can also sometimes be different in girls and boys. For example, autistic girls “may appear to cope better with social situations”, making it harder to make a diagnosis, the health body adds.

Some autistic people need little or no support. Others may need help from a parent or carer every day.

An autism diagnosis might give you a clearer picture as to why some things seem harder for you than they are for other people.

“It could help explain to others why you see and feel the world in a different way,” says the NHS.

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