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Autism

What is Autism?

Autism is not a learning disability, but research suggests that around 50% of people with autism may also have a learning disability, which will affect the level of support they need in their life. Some people may also receive a ‘dual diagnosis' - for example, they may have or Down's syndrome and autism. It is believed that autism can occur in about 7% (range 1% -10%) of the population of people with Down's syndrome.

Down’s Syndrome and Autism Email Forum:

Down’s Syndrome and Autism Email Forum:
The Down’s Syndrome Association has set up a group forum where parents and carers of children with Down's syndrome and Autism can talk about any issues that concern them and get advice from each other.
To subscribe to this email group:

- Email the following address : LISTSERV@listserv.down-syndrome.net
- State the email subject is ‘Subscribe DS-AUTISM-UK’ and request to be sent further information.

Autism and Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome is the most common known genetic cause of autism. It is believed that for between 2-6% of all children diagnosed with autism they also have Fragile X syndrome, though not all children with fragile X syndrome have autism. Approximately one-third of all children diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome are on the autistic spectrum.

For more information and guidance on Fragile X syndrome:

www.fraxa.org

Getting a diagnosis

If you think your son or daughter has autism, you should approach your GP or health visitor to talk about your concerns. It is not uncommon for a diagnosis to be made in adulthood as autism can be masked by a person’s learning disability.

It's a good idea to keep a diary of your son or daughter’s behaviour, especially thehabits you think may be a sign of autism. Keep this for at least 2 weeks as this will be really useful to show to any professionals you meet. The more information the easier it is to provide the right diagnosis and support. Therefore, as well as making a note of behaviour you can:

• write down when the behaviour happened.
• what your son or daughter were doing before the behaviour.
• the environment they were in at the time.
• anything you noticed happened just before the behaviour took place.
• the things you said and did (or others) in response to the behaviour.

If your child is of school age, you might also want to speak to their teacher or to the school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) to ask for their advice and how to get the right support. Any other professionals working with your child, for example a speech and language therapist or educational psychologist, may also be a good source of advice.

Hampshire are working hard to meet the needs of people with a learning disability and autism. Diagnosis and support after diagnosis is being improved to ensure everyone gets the support they need.

New Autism Strategy

The first strategy in England to help people with Autism to live more independently was launched by Care Services Minister Phil Hope in March 2010.

Read the news article

Find out more about Autism

You can find out more in the Resources section of this website.