2002 has been chosen as Autism Awareness Year to raise public awareness of the problems associated with autism. It is supported by 153 Members of Parliament.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. This complex condition affects the ability to communicate and socialize with others.

ASD often falls into the gap between mental health and learning disabilities.

The estimated number of people with ASD in the UK is about half a million, but many who work in the autism field believe that the figure is much higher, possibly double that, as many people are undiagnosed and unknown to the authorities.

Adult sufferers, particularly those at the able end of the spectrum, often develop mental health problems on top of the autistic condition. When such people come under the care of mental health professionals, the autism may not be recognized. If there is a misdiagnosis, the patient may be sectioned under the Mental Health Act or be given inappropriate drug treatment for their condition. It is important that mental health specialists, of whom very few specialize in autism, are able to look through the mental health problems and note normal autistic behaviour. The two are often confused and if the sufferer is misdiagnosed, their problems are compounded.

The behaviour of people with Asperger's Syndrome¹ is characterised by huge difficulties with social interaction and by rigid thought patterns. Many sufferers possess good language skills and qualifications, but without spending time with them and going beneath the surface, it is often not possible to detect a problem or disability. It is easy to assume that such individuals are functioning but it is wrong to do so. They find it immensely hard to read social clues, e.g. body language and facial expressions, and they display some obsessive behaviour like the classic autist.

When they attain adulthood, they have tremendous difficulty intergrating into society. Life is much harder as an adult, a young person or child is allowed quirks or oddities, but allowances or tolerance for such behaviour disappear when the child becomes a strapping teenager. The behaviour is classed as threatening and the condition becomes more isolating.

The intolerance of other adults towards them is hurtful to those with the condition. They are often ridiculed, shunned, bullied or abused. They cannot establish or maintain friendships; most will never be able to form a long-lasting relationship or marry. These people have low self-esteem, are often clinically depressed and have mental health problems. About 8% of this group of people are reported to have committed suicide, but the true figure is unknown.

Please note: The following figures are representative of the U.K. only.

• 33% of adults with autism have no social involvement.
• Only 12% of diagnozed autistics are able to work.
• 60% of autistic adults do not find out that they are autistic until they are 16 years of age or over. By that time, they have lost the opportunity to get the support they needed throughout school, for example.
• Only 38% of autistic or Asperger's Syndrome people have a community care assessment. Just 45% of those assessed received the services specified in the assessment.
• 49% of adults with autism or Asperger's are still living at home with their parents.

It is stated that autism is a rare condition, yet it is estimated that autistic spectrum disorders are approximately four times more common than cerebral palsy, and seventeen times more common than Down's syndrome.

All the information contained in this entry has been quoted from a debate on autism in Westminster Hall on the 9th January, 2002, by Members of Parliament.

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