Autism at a Glance
7 Mar 2023
by
Noetic
5
minute read
What is autism?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects how a person acts and communicates with the world around them. The medical term Autism Spectrum Condition uses ‘spectrum’ to reflect how everyone's experience of autism is different and the impact within their life is different. It is therefore difficult to generalise autism and its traits, although common characteristics associated with autism include difficulty with social interactions and communication.
Autism is not an illness - it just means an autistic person’s brain works differently to a neurotypical person’s brain. This means autism doesn’t have a ‘cure’, but there is a range of support options available for those who need it.
Causes
Currently, the cause of autism is unknown, although there is some evidence to suggest a genetic link. For many years, scientists have been trying to identify the genes involved in autism. It is likely there are multiple genes and some environmental factors involved.
There are some hereditary factors associated with autism, such as autism in the family, birth events associated with the central nervous system, and premature birth before 35 weeks. Experiencing these things does not mean someone will definitely have autism, but there is a higher likelihood of them having autism compared to those who don’t experience these.
One of the most persistent myths about autism is that it can be caused by vaccines. This is not true. Diet, childhood trauma, and infections also cannot cause autism.