About autism

What autism is and what to do if you think your child has autism

Autism is a lifelong condition that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them.

Autism is known as a spectrum condition (ASC), which means each person with autism will be affected differently. It is still sometimes referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Asperger’s Syndrome.

Autism can be understood as a neurological difference in brain development, with key differences in the areas of: 

• language and communication; 
• social awareness and emotional literacy
• flexibility of thought
• sensory processing

Find out more about autism and it’s spectrum of diagnosis on the National Autistic Society’s website  and the Autism Education Trust website.

Ambitious about Autism have a collection of videos and blogs, featuring young autistic people talking about diagnosis, identity and their experiences.

NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) West have a collection of films and fact-sheets made with the Somali community in Bristol.

If you think your child might have autism

Your child is under five years old

You can talk about your concerns with:

• your GP
• your local Children’s Centre inclusion lead
• your child’s nursery manager
• the speech and language therapy service
• the early years portage and inclusion service
• the health visiting service

Your child is over five years old

If your child goes to school, speak to their schools:

• class teacher
• Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)

You can also:

• talk about your concerns with your GP
• contact the speech and language therapy service

Read about support available after diagnosis of autism