Autism. It’s a word we hear a lot, but do we truly understand it?
Being autistic is not an illness or a disease. It’s not something that can be ‘cured’ but some people may find that they need help and support with certain things. Autism is a spectrum, meaning that every autistic person is different. It’s something that means that the brain works in a different way to others. No one knows if there is a cause to autism but it’s something that 1 in 100 people are born with.
Autistic people may:
- Have difficulty communicating with others
- Struggle to understand how people think or feel
- Like to have a structured routine
- Find stimuli, like bright lights or loud noises, overwhelming
- Have heightened anxiety in unfamiliar situations
Knowing is key in supporting autistic people
Getting to know their routine, favourite foods and interests will help you understand them more and help them feel understood and less alone.
If you can also learn their triggers, you might be able to help them avoid a meltdown. Triggers will vary from person to person, but some common ones include crowded spaces, loud overlapping noises or bright lights.
Meltdowns
When an autistic person is at their limit, they may have a meltdown. Meltdowns are described as “the loss of an emotional filter from the pain or exhaustion that overexposure to triggers cause, and the loss of temper in response to that”. If someone is temporarily non-verbal, irritable, or slow to respond to interactions, these might be signs of a possible meltdown.
There are a few ways to help someone during a meltdown. You can calmly ask them if they want to remove themselves from the triggering situation. Or, if they have anything that helps reduce the sensory overload, such as noise cancelling headphones, sunglasses, or fidget devices, which could help take some of the stress away, you could suggest trying these.
Being Direct
A lot of issues with autistic people begin with misunderstandings. They may take a polite suggestion or hint to do something as just a casual conversation. You need to be honest, transparent and clear when communicating with them, for them to understand exactly what you want and need.
Bluntness
Autistic people tend to struggle to read a room. This sometimes leads to them possibly coming across as blunt or rude, and this can often be taken the wrong way by people who do not fully understand this trait of autism. Try to be understanding and assume they probably didn’t mean to offend you but tell them if they have and why.
Would you like to know more?
You can visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/ or the National Autistic Society for more information and support.
Okehampton Medical Centre