Research • Autism and Aspergers

Autism

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which is part of the "autism spectrum" and is sometimes referred to as ASD. The word "spectrum" is used because, while people with Autism share three areas of difficulty, their disability will affect them in different ways; some are able to to live normal lives without support, whilst some will require a lifetime of assistance.

The three main areas of difficulty which all people with Autism share are sometimes known as the "triad of impairments", and they are as follows:

• difficulty with social communication

• difficulty with social interaction

• difficulty with social imagination

People with Autism find it hard to understand body language, and therefore, cannot understand when people are feeling annoyed or happy etc. Also, socialising does not come naturally to them, where we can go out and talk to anyone in the given situation, they close up and have to learn how to speak to people like it's a language.

Another characteristic is the love of routines. The leaflet produced by The National Autistic Society says "One young person with Autism attended a day service. He would be dropped off by taxi, walk up to the door of the day service, knock on it and be let in. One day, the door opened before he could knock and a person came out. Rather than go in through the open door, he returned to the taxi and began the routine again".

The world can seem a confusing place to someone suffering with Autism, so they feel the need to repeat a routine to feel safe. This way, they know exactly what is going to happen everyday. This routine can extend to wanting to travel the same way to and from school or work, or eat exactly the same food everyday. Rule can also come into this characteristic, where they find it difficult to change their ways if they have been taught something a different way. However, people suffering from Autism can cope well if they are prepared in advance.

Aspergers

Aspergers is a form of Autism, but people with Aspergers suffer from the symptoms less than someone with Autism, and they do not experience language delays that people suffering with Autism do. Children with Aspergers may only be mildly affected and have good language skills, and to someone who does not know anything about the condition, they may just think the child is normal, but behaving slightly differently. Children with Autism often seem uninterested in others, however, children with Aspergers want to fit in and have interaction with others, they just don't know how to do it. 

The leaflet I read also commented on the love of routines, and said "If I get anxious I get in a fizz. I have a timetable; it helps me to see what I have to do next, otherwise I get confused."

Upon reading these leaflets and articles, I began to look at how I could incorporate this into my photographic work. The love of routines fits in well with my initial thoughts, as I wanted to show someone following a daily routine to the T.

The National Autistic Society - What is Autism?

The National Autistic Society - What is Asperger Syndrome?

http://www.autism-society.org/about-autism/aspergers-syndrome/