Question 1

What is Autism?

Accepted Answer

Autism is both a neurodevelopmental difference and (under the social model) a disability.    While the DSM and ICD define autism almost exclusively by sensory sensitivities, "communication deficits" and "repetitive/restricted behaviours", we would like to make several points:   1. Sensory sensitivities are more noticeable among autistic people, and vary greatly by individual, however, they allistics (nonautistic people) have them too.  2. We have differences in communication. Milton's "Double Empathy" paper points out that it's bidirectional: allistic people struggle to communicate with us just as much as we may struggle to communicate with them. (In fact, Chown argues that we have more experience in cross-neurological communication, so we may be better at it than most allistic people.)   3. “repetitive/restricted interests” might be better understood as things we find interesting, engaging, safe, routine, comforting. A lot of us tend to be passionate about the things we are interested in, and a lot of us struggle to find order and stability in this chaotic, neurotypical world.     Frustratingly, most medical definitions miss important things tha might not be noticeable to observers, such as executive functioning issues (difficulty getting things started/done, even if they "should" be easy") and spiky profiles (where we can be really good at some things, but not good at others, meaning people wonder why we can't do stuff that it seems like we ought to be able to).   Sources: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/what-is-autism/  https://www.cdc.gov/autism/hcp/diagnosis/index.html    Milton, D (2012) On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’. Disability & Society, 27 (6). Pp. 883-887.   https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687599.2012.710008?scroll=top&needAccess=true    Chown, N (2014) More on the ontological status of autism and double empathy, Disability & Society, 29:10  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687599.2014.949625

Question 2

Is Autism a disability?

Accepted Answer

The social model of disability suggests that no-one would be disabled if the world accommodated them properly – there’s people with double leg amputations climbing mountains, however we recognise they still have challenges to accessibility and daily life. “Disabled” is not a dirty word! Some autistic people don’t feel disabled, some do; both are valid and should still have supports available to them if they need them.  Sources: https://www.scope.org.uk/about-us/social-model-of-disability/https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/social-model-disability-language https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/disability-in-london/social-model/the-social-model-of-disability-and-the-cultural-model-of-deafness/

Question 3

What is stimming?

Accepted Answer

What is stimming? Sensory self-stimulation, “stimming” for short, is complex. It can be a self-regulatory coping strategy, or an emotional expression, or a source of enjoyment/interest, and comes in a HUGE variety – neurotypical people also stim occasionally; think about the last time you were tapping a pen, twiddling with a paperclip/elastic band or bouncing your leg! We just tend to do a lot more of it. (Note: if it’s distressing or harmful to the person and the distress is as a result of the behaviour/action and not anything else, it may be something like a tic or OCD behaviour – speak to your clinician.) Sources: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/behaviour/stimming  https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/repetitive-behaviors-and-stimming-in-autism-explained/ https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/information-about-autism/behaviour/repetitive-behaviours-and-stimming

Question 4

Do vaccines cause Autism?

Accepted Answer

No. This is not even a debate any more (and shouldn’t have been in the first place!), and it makes many autistic people angry to hear it, because it implies people are more worried about their child being like us than they are about their child DYING.     There is a history of these claims that can be explored in the below video.  The video 'Vaccines: A Measured Response', although comedically slanted, displays a comprehensive look at the history around the erroneous claims that vaccines have a link to causing autism in young children.   (Full video contains adult language and humour)

Question 5

Can autistic people live independently?

Accepted Answer

Some people may need extra support and some people may not WANT to live independently, however many of us can and do.  Here’s a good place to start: https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/health-wellbeing-and-social-care/adult-social-care

Question 6

Can I ask for reasonable adjustments in my place of work and within health services?

Accepted Answer

Not only can you ask for them, “reasonable adjustments” are a legally protected right under the Equality Act 2010 and the Autism Act (2009 & 2014) – employers have a duty to support and protect staff.  There’s no set definition of “reasonable”, however it can cover all sorts of things such as ergonomic and environment adaptations; an occupational assessment will provide recommendations: https://vrassociationuk.com/

Question 7

Is lactose intolerance more common in people with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC)

Accepted Answer

While it’s true that autistic people are four times more likely to have gastrointestinal issues, people of any neurology can have intolerances and allergies, and there is no conclusive evidence that there’s a specific connection between autism and lactose intolerance (and it’s debatable for gluten intolerance). Speak to your doctor before changing diet – malnutrition is a serious risk when foods are restricted. Acid reflux is VERY common (up to 70% of us!), and can also present as shoulder tension, back ache and tiredness – so speak to your doctor!

Have a question about Autism that Auti hasn't answered?

Ask Auti | Get Support | Resources