Autism is a lifelong developmental disability, affecting how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people and the world around them.
Imagine that for just one day you were unable to communicate with or understand those around you through language, gestures, tone of voice or by facial expressions. Imagine your frustration, loneliness and isolation. Then try to imagine that state lasting for the rest of your life. That state is autism.
Day-to-day life for a person with autism is a confusing, interacting mass of events, people, places, sounds and sights, with no clear boundaries, order or meaning. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability affecting how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people and the world around them. It is a spectrum condition meaning that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support.
Common characteristics include little ability to form relationships, one-sided conversations and intense absorption in a special interest. People with autism are likely to use language literally, finding it difficult to understand metaphors, jokes or abstract concepts, such as ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’, or ‘eyes in the back of your head’.
The current official statistic is staggering: in the UK, around one in 100 people have autism – and, together with their families, that’s over two million people whose lives are touched by autism every single day.
The NAS is the UK’s leading charity for people affected by autism. No-one else has our reach, breadth of expertise, or potential to transform so many lives. Our vision is a world where autism is understood and where people with autism have the support they need to ensure their rights are upheld and that they have the same opportunities as others in society.
Our ambition is to end the isolation of those whose lives are touched by autism. We were founded in 1962, by a group of parents who were passionate about ensuring a better future for their children. Today we are a national charity with a local presence, with over 18,000 members, 90 branches providing a wide range of advice, information, support and specialist services to 100,000 people each year.
With your support we will help more people accept difference, not indifference.
