Autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people.
It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in very different ways. People with autism may also experience over or under sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours.
If you think your child/young person may have autism then visit your GP who can refer them for further assessment.
Autism is a lifelong condition and support is often available to manage some of the difficulties that young people and their families might face.
The cause of autism is still unknown but research suggests that a combination of factors, both genetic and environmental, may account for changes in brain development.