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Understanding Autism

The emotions experienced when someone close to you is diagnosed with autism is usually overwhelming. Yet it doesn't have to be, because normally, those with autism can live reasonably ordinary lives; especially if they're paired with the most suitable autism carer.

Author: Robert Deans
Date: Oct 14, 2011 - 2:34:22 PM

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It can be devastating to find out that somebody close to you has autism. Yet it doesn't need to be. The fact is that with the right autism carer, people that have autism can live a comparatively normal life.



Although there are an endless array of difficulties linked to autism, some unique to the individuals themselves, it's signs concerning social interaction, communication and imagination which are most recognised.



Often, autism will go on undiagnosed for quite a while. Instead, autistic children will be branded naughty or simply timid. This may make school really difficult. Not just might the child fight to develop relationships, but he or she might be branded by the teacher as a troublemaker or merely disinterested. The teacher might then not take the trouble to focus attention on the child and their education consequently suffers.



But, children with autism can advantage enormously from home support services and specialised autism care. Their schooling can be supplemented at home, wherein the teaching is customised specifically to their needs.



As individuals with autism enter adulthood, the 'hidden' characteristics of autism brings about further problems. As a child, people don't mind as much if the child ignores them or talks to random people on the street about irrelevant issues. As adults, these actions will be thought of very badly and regular, everyday outings may become very difficult.



It is very hard for individuals with autism to understand sarcasm or the genuine meaning of everyday phrases. They generally take everything literally and have problems intercepting people's facial expressions and tone of voice.



People with autism also generally have difficulty comprehending unwritten social rules. They might not have a perception of ‘personal space’ or acceptable topics of conversation.



This can often mean that people with autism choose to stay quiet, as their trouble in comprehending a conversation makes them frightened to join in. Yet not everyone is like this; many will talk away quite happily, but they'll still have difficulty understanding the structure of a two-way chat. They'll often chat about themselves (as this is a straightforward subject matter) and won't stop to ask questions or listen to others.



It's beneficial, when talking to people with autism, to talk clearly and concisely. You should in addition try to remain within the literal meaning of words and steer clear of using 'sayings'. You should also permit them time to digest what has been said and avoid expressing too much in one go.



Other difficulties may incorporate a failure to comprehend the emotions of others, while also battling to state their own. This may result in people figuring the autistic person to be impolite, insensitive or simply strange.



These problems makes it problematic for those with autism to form friendships.



This is where autism care and home support services can tremendously advantage people with autism. The carer themselves might become a friend, since they're able to understand how their client feels and thinks and will be able to talk with them in a way many people are unable to.



With time, the help home support services provide ought to make it simpler for the client to manage social scenarios so they can benefit from greater self-sufficiency, decreased anxiety and potential friendships outside their autism care.

This article was written by R. Deans on behalf of Voyage who provide home support services and autism care. For more info on home support services and autism care please visit voyagecare.com

View all articles by Robert Deans

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