Why the NAS needs your support
Autism is a serious, lifelong and disabling condition. Without the right support, it can have a profound - sometimes devastating - effect on individuals and families. But it simply doesn't get the attention it deserves, which means that people affected by autism don't get the help, support and understanding they need.
Autism is much more common than most people think. There are over half a million people in the UK with autism - that's around 1 in 100. If you include their families, autism touches the live of over two million people every day.
The National Autistic Society is the UK's leading charity for people affected by autism.
Did you know that in one year for the National Autistic Society:
- 2.6 million people visited their website
- 38,000 queries were dealt with by their Autism Helpline
- 1,650 families were supported by their Parent to Parent support line
- 2,788 families attended their help! family support programmes
- 432 places for children were available in their schools
- 388 children attended their out-of-school clubs
- 344 adults were supported by their Prospects employment service
- 250 adults used their residential services
- 177 adults received day support
But there's no room for complacency, they need your support.
How your support will make a difference
- £15 helps pay for a Autism Helpline adviser to send information about autism support to five worried parents.
- £25 pays for the first stage of training a volunteer befriender, who will spend a few hours a week with a person with autism or their family, offering much-needed support or friendship.
- £50 gives ten people access to the Autism Helpline, a crucial service providing information and support to people with autism and their families.
- £75 pays for three families to attend the EarlyBird programme, which provides vital help and support to families of pre-school children with autism.
- £100 helps pay for a child to be diagnosed at the assessment centre.
- £500 provides gardening equipment for up to 50 adults at one of the adults services.
- £1000 replaces play equipment at one of the schools and benefits more than 50 children.
- £2,500 gives a person with autism the opportunity to gain full-time, supported employment. Companies taking part in the scheme include Boots, HSBC, Marks & Spencer and BT.
People with autism find these things difficult
- They find it difficult to tell people what they need, and how they feel.
- They find it difficult to meet other people and to make new friends.
- They find it difficult to understand what other people think.
What causes autism?
No one knows why people have autism.
If your child has autism, it is not because you are a bad parent.
More than 1 person in a family may have autism. It can be genetic. This means autism can pass from parents to their children.
How do people with autism behave?
Here are some ways in which people with autism might behave.
- They may not speak.
- They may not understand what other people say.
- They may copy what other people say.
- They may only talk about their favourite subject.
- They may not understand how other people feel.
- They may not take part in games or activities with other people.
- They may like to play the same game or do the same thing every day.
What else is special about autism?
Here is some more information about people with autism.
- They may find co-ordination difficult. This means that they may find it difficult to do things like use scissors, use knives and forks, or ride a bike.
- They may be very good at something. For example, they may be very good at maths, art or music.
- They can be good at learning how to do something when they see someone else doing it.
- They may be good at concentrating on one activity.
- They may have learning disabilities.
- They may have other difficulties. For example, they may have dyslexia.
The 5 senses
The 5 senses are
- sight
- sound
- smell
- touch
- taste.
Here is some information about how autism can affect someone's senses.
Sight
Some people with autism may not like bright lights and colours. Other people with autism might like them a lot.
Some people with autism may not like bright lights and colours. Other people with autism might like them a lot.
Sound
Some people with autism may not like loud noises. Other people with autism might like certain noises.
Some people with autism may not like loud noises. Other people with autism might like certain noises.
Smell
Some people with autism may not like some smells. Other people with autism might like a certain smell.
Some people with autism may not like some smells. Other people with autism might like a certain smell.
TouchSome people with autism may not like being touched. Other people with autism might like being touched.
TasteSome people with autism may like to eat the same food every day. Other people with autism might like lots of different food.
Asperger syndrome
There is a type of autism called Asperger syndrome.
People with Asperger syndrome do not have learning disabilities. But they find the same things difficult as people with autism.
Here are some of the things that people with Asperger syndrome find difficult.
- They find it difficult to tell people what they need, and how they feel.
- They find it difficult to meet other people and to make new friends.
- They find it difficult to understand what other people think.