4/2/2024 11:36:12 AM

Autism Awareness Day | Health and Care

Blue Stream Academy

On April 2nd, 2024, we once again stand together to celebrate Autism Awareness Day, a significant occasion dedicated to encouraging understanding, acceptance, and support for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We at Blue Stream Academy embrace the importance of spreading awareness and knowledge about autism. With our commitment to education and empowerment, we aim to highlight the diverse experiences of individuals with autism and emphasise the need to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and understood.


What is Autism?

Autism is a lifelong condition that affects people in a wide variety of ways, although many will share certain difficulties.

The main difficulties experienced by autistic people are:

  • Communication and language
  • Social interaction and emotional expression
  • Social imagination

Autistic people may also experience sensory issues meaning that they are over (hypersensitive) or under (hyposensitive) sensitive to sights, sounds, smells, taste and touch as well as displaying patterns of repetitive or restricted behaviour.

Sometimes, autistic children or young people are labelled as naughty, ill-mannered and rude. They’re often misdiagnosed meaning that they don’t receive effective support, treatment or therapies until adulthood. Many autistic adults are treated as strange, eccentric outsiders making it difficult for them to integrate into society and, by extension, affecting their ability to improve upon their communication and social skills.

How Common is Autism

One in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there is around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. You can find out more information by clicking here.

Characteristics

There are a wide variety of characteristics associated with autism which most often present themselves in infancy or early childhood. Every autistic person is different, some may display characteristics whilst others do not. Characteristics also range on a scale of severity. One autistic person may be able to hold a conversation and another may have no verbal communication at all.

It is not usually the presence of atypical behaviours that indicates a child may be autistic, but the absence of typical behaviours; this makes detection and diagnosis very difficult.

  • lack of eye contact
  • not responsive to their name or the sound of familiar voices
  • frequent repetition of words and phrases
  • communication using single words, rarely using sentences
  • flat or monotonous speech
  • shows little interest in socialising or interaction, particularly with other children
  • repetitive behaviours such as hand flapping, or rocking back and forth (this is more commonly known as self-stimulatory behaviour or "stimming")
  • likes and dislikes certain foods based on their texture and/or colour
  • abnormal posture and unusual ways of moving, such as walking on tiptoes
  • difficulty in change in routines, schedules or environment
  • preoccupied with narrow topics of interest, often involving numbers, letters, symbols or shapes
  • plays with toys in a repetitive and unimaginative way, for example lining up blocks in order of size or colour
  • uninterested or unaware of other people and what is happening around them
  • takes things literally, struggles to understand metaphor, humour or sarcasm
  • unusually strong attachments to toys or objects
  • responds to a question by repeating it, rather than answering it
  • inability to interpret people’s facial expressions, tone of voice and gestures
  • lack of awareness of other people’s personal space and intolerance when theirs has been encroached upon
  • struggles to pretend and involve themselves in imaginative play. Also struggles to imitate others or use toys in creative ways.

Autism and Spiky Profiles

The autism spectrum is a dated idea that suggests if someone is on one part of the spectrum their abilities will all line up naturally with little or no discrepancies. In fact, a scatterplot graph, or spiky profile, is a much better way to gauge how autistic people fare in different areas of life.

This way of documenting a person’s strengths and weaknesses provides a unique picture for each person rather than trying to lump them in with others. It means that each case is treated on a unique basis as it should be, but also means the autistic person will not have assumptions placed upon them for certain capabilities, just because they fall "in that part of the spectrum."

A good example of incorrect assumptions is an autistic person who has an office job. It may be presumed that they can complete all tasks associated with this position; however, something like answering an unexpected call may still cause a large degree of anxiety in them due to the sudden change in circumstances.

Interests and Hobbies

Autistic people tend to have special interests, this can be anything ranging from music or art, to buses or computers. Anyone caring for an autistic person should make use of these interests to build trust. They can be used to engage the person, especially when it comes to something they may not be very interested in.

For example, placing the person’s special interest into a daily visual timetable may help them relate to their day better, this shows that value has been placed in both the person and their interests. It may also increase their engagement with other activities as they know when there is time for them to be involved with their special interest.

Sometimes special interests do need to be managed but be careful not to take them away from the autistic person as it will induce anxiety and may make the situation more difficult. Remember that many special interests can be made very useful. For example, an interest in computers could lead to a career in IT, or an interest in certain sounds could be turned into an interest in music providing the person access to a keyboard or a guitar to emulate the sound.

Key Adaptations

There are several key adaptations or rules of thumb to go by when meeting an autistic person, these are listed below:

  • do not spring surprises on an autistic person - changes in routine or sudden changes cause a large amount of anxiety in autistic people. If there is going to be a change, then try to give the person as much notice as possible

  • do not touch without consent - due to hypersensitivity, what may feel like a pat on the back or a shake of the hand to someone who is neurotypical, may be extremely painful for an autistic person

  • slow down and pause - when relaying information to an autistic person, or just having a conversation with them, make sure that speech is slowed down so it is easier for the person to process what is being said and they can take anything necessary onboard. Also, when the sentence is finished, make sure to pause to allow the person more processing time

  • create or find a calm, quiet environment - this will help if someone experiences a sensory meltdown. By providing the person with a calm, quiet place they can go to if they feel they need it will instil a sense of confidence and help reduce anxiety

  • explain first, then do - autistic people have a much easier time with tasks, outings, and new experiences if they are explained to them first. Remember to avoid abstract or ambiguous terms to make everything clearer. Always remember to do this before asking the person to undertake any task or activity.

Final Remarks

Autism Awareness Day reminds us of the significance of understanding and supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At Blue Stream Academy, we're dedicated to promoting awareness and inclusivity. By acknowledging the varied experiences of autistic individuals and making essential adjustments in communication and interaction, we can establish a more supportive and inclusive atmosphere. Let's persist in advocating for acceptance and empowerment, guaranteeing that every person, irrespective of neurodiversity, feels valued and comprehended.

Want to Learn More About Autism?

At Blue Stream Academy we offer engaging eLearning modules for continuing professional development across various sectors, including General Practice, Health and Social Care, Private and Urgent Care, Aesthetics, Dental, and Hospice.

The following modules, tailored for different levels of understanding, aim to deepen awareness, and provide certification on Autism Awareness.

Autism Awareness (Tier 1)

Tier 1 provides a basic introduction to autism, the typical signs and characteristics, and how we can work together to improve the person’s life when it comes to using services that may be taken for granted by others.

Suitable for people who need general knowledge about autism but do not expect to work directly with an autistic person.

Autism Awareness (Tier 2)

Tier 2 takes a deep dive into the complex nuances of autism while looking at comorbidity and strategies for the core issues behind behaviour that challenges. It considers different advice on how the environment can affect autistic people, and how they interact with the world at large.

Suitable for those who work directly with autistic people in a variety of situations and contains more specialised information.

Learn more about Blue Stream Academy

Click here for more information about Blue Stream Academy and what we offer. Alternatively, contact us via email at info@bluestreamacademy.com or speak with a team member at 01773 822549.
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