At a difficult age Researchers are just beginning to learn what happens in the brains of autistic children during adolescence to explain their unique social, cognitive and emotional challenges More

Financial fight "You're literally having to fight people to get what you know your child is actually legally entitled to," Anna Geldard spent £20,000 fighting for the Education, Health and Social Care Plan (EHCP) her child is entitled to. More

Super supporters Volunteers and medics have been praised for the way they helped a woman with learning difficulties get her first vaccination jab. Lucie Willis has autism and epilepsy and her parents Helen and Mark were apprehensive about how she would cope with going to York's vaccination centre More

More autism Autism is more common in children in England than previously thought –  a study at University of Cambridge also found that prevalence numbers varied by ethnicity and levels of deprivation More

Video sharing Bristol group Autism Independence has launched a series of multi-language short films to dispel myths about autism in the Somali community, "We hope that our films, particularly the version in the Somali language, can reach many more families and reassure parents." More

Sensory shopping "As an autistic, I always need to take my disability into account when I make consumer choices. Something a neurotypical person may not even notice—a beep, a buzz, a scratchy tag—can overwhelm my senses". More

Sounds good Many children with autism struggle to find the words to express how they feel. But when it comes to music, it’s an entirely different situation. How can teachers incorporate music in everyday lessons? More

Positive pathways What do we know about encouraging employment and thereby fostering independence among autistic young adults? A team in Cambridge, MA think they have a few answers More

Help in mind 2020 hasn’t been an easy year for teens. Covid-19, exam cancellations and school closures have made it the most disrupted school year in 75 years. The folks at myTutor have some ideas about how parents can equip their teens with tactics and tips to cope with whatever life throws at them. More

Ideas please Parenting any child is challenging, but the joys and feelings that come with parenting a child with special needs are unique. Wondermoms is a great source of advice and ideas. More


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The reason why... A new film is being heralded by some as a ​huge leap forward for autism representation More

Help early "It would've changed my life": New autism screening method hopes to reduce age of diagnosis and address barriers More

And finally "I was diagnosed with autism in my 70s and finally found out I wasn't just bad, mad, or sad." Emily Lovergrove's father told her she had 'never been normal' and the one school friend she had bullied her but she wasn't given any kind of formal diagnosis until she was 71. More

Strong bonds Researchers have been working together for the past several years to develop a better understanding of autism through a study that challenged them to fundamentally reimagine the concepts associated with social connection. More

Medical help An autistic man has described how he was conscious throughout surgery after the anaesthetic did not work. Corey Burke is working to train medical professionals to better understand people with a cognitive disability. More

Me too An Oxfordshire politician has shared the journey which led her to be diagnosed with autism as an adult. the diagnosis came after she began to research the ways the condition manifests in women differently to men. Now she wants to use her public facing role as a local councillor living with autism to raise awareness of the condition, and the different ways people experience it. More

Uncertain times "My life has been filled with uncertainty for a long time, but my son has helped me stay flexible, adjust expectations and persevere. The crisis isn’t abating anytime soon. Yet surprisingly, the uncertainty and angst feel familiar. I know this road. As a parent of a child with special needs, I’ve been traveling it a long time." More

Let's work Gordon Douglas spent most of his 20s on welfare, struggling to find an employer who would look past his "differences" and give him a break. The 34-year-old battled his way through job application after job application but, despite being highly qualified and intelligent, he often fell out of contention when it came to face-to-face interviews. More

Stay alert A free initiative launched this year to make it easier for people with autism and learning disabilities to navigate stressful situations is proving to be a huge success. The Autism Alert Cards enable police and other emergency service workers to communicate with autistic residents more effectively, helping those on the autism spectrum feel comfortable in difficult or frightening situations. More

Through An Autistic Eye Autistic photographer inspires other young people with special needs to take photos as he prepares to publish debut book  More 

Life in lockdown A mother and son have written an illustrated book during lockdown to help explain autism to others. More

Sounds different Unlike typical toddlers, those with autism may tend not to share experiences involving sound — dancing to music with their parents, for example, or directing a parent’s attention toward a cat’s meow — according to a new study More

Good read Get hold of Sarah Kurchak's ‘autiebiography’ (an autobiography written by an autistic person) which, though it may not reflect the experiences of everyone on the spectrum, is sure to resonate with many More

Getting in the door Being diagnosed with autism at the age of 33 was a watershed moment for Josh McKeiver. - "That was a huge relief. I cried. I'd never cried so much in my life, over days." Employment however is another hurdle. More

Care changes needed Too many people with learning disabilities or autism are receiving "undignified and inhumane care" in specialist hospitals, a care regulator has found. More

Autism in the family "What [autism] means for us, in my family, is that we experience external stimuli as blasts of information. When we are out in public, the smells, the sights, the sounds and the people can all merge together and become completely overwhelming." More

Research needs you University of York researchers need your help with a project looking at experiences of bullying in childhood in autistic adults. More
... why not explore the topic of the role of the autistic voice in research a little further? More

Safe schooling Are schools able to offer safe and suitable provision for autistic children on an individual basis during 'lockdown'? More

Virtual understanding US law enforcement professionals are utilising virtual reality to gain insight into autistic experience. More

Distraction reaction Autistic people may have trouble tuning out distractions. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh believe this may account for some of the problems with sensory sensitivity and sensory processing experienced by individuals on the spectrum. More

Wired for success Auticon, an  IT company, sees the benefits of having a majority-autistic workforce. "Our hybrid onsite and offsite teams utilise the cognitive benefits of autism to provide the sustained concentration and analytical mindset that makes us wired for success". More

Autism advocate In 2017, Daisy Shearer, then a 21-year-old physics major at the University of Surrey in the UK, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In retrospect, the diagnosis made sense. It explained the sensory overload and panic attacks during exams, for example, and the trouble she had maintaining friendships. More

Lockdown life Robyn Steward and Jamie Knight, presenters of the podcast '1800 Seconds on Autism', reveal what’s been going on in their lives during lockdown. From the pasta dish Jamie has eaten every day for five years no longer being available at the supermarket, through to Robyn’s solo trip to hospital, a notoriously noisy and discombobulating place.  More

Eating and autism Is there a relationship between eating disorders and autism? Children with autistic traits are more likely than their peers to develop an eating disorder, according to a new UCL-led study. More

Siblings stick together Why not sign up for a free siblings webinar? Siblings, parents, and other caregivers can participate in this series, which will be the 2nd Tuesday each month. Next one is June 9th. More

We're hiring. Badly! Read about William's experiences of interviews (and what's wrong with the way most firms do them). A great insight into how autistic job seekers are discriminated against. More

That's right "The rights of persons with autism must be taken into account in efforts to address the COVID-19 coronavirus", UN Secretary-General More

Family and autism "When my son was diagnosed, I was told the condition was hereditary. Suddenly my late mother’s ‘eccentric, bossy’ personality began to make sense" More

Diagnosing 'different' Two women explain the reality of going through life feeling 'different' to their peers but without anyone ever being able to explain why More

Quality improvement required Autistic children and adults report poor physical and mental health and quality of life compared with the general population, according to a new survey More

Finding a different 'normal' "I have been spending so much time trying to force him to be 'normal' — to follow the standard milestones for child development. It never occurred to me to think he was autistic. A month ago I didn’t even really know what that meant." Read one mother's story More

Coping with confinement 11-year-old Elliott gives other autistic kids his lockdown tips More

Trouble with transition Autistic young people  in transition  are more likely to have active medical needs and require a healthcare team that is familiar with autism More

Time to talk When Meta Auden realised her daughter disliked certain fabrics and zips, she began to make bespoke items — and ended up launching her own firm. Talking to her teen during this crisis has also given her invaluable tips for parents More

What planet? The world has lost a great autism advocate, writer and all round wit. PJ Hughes will be sadly missed. Celebrate his life with the book Me and Planet Weirdo More

Diagnosis reaction "She asked how I felt about the news, and I couldn’t speak; I took a moment to catch my breath and say, “Shocked.” I’m not sure why I said that, as I wasn’t — but the relief I felt was unreal. I had waited for what felt like forever to hear those words" More

Let's talk work As many as 10,000 young people with autism could gain work placements over the next two years, thanks to a sponsorship deal with telecoms company TalkTalk. More

Knowledge is power Kate McMurdo decided to arm herself with some legal skills when Lewis was diagnosed with autism aged four. After she struggled to find a suitable school for Lewis, she used her legal skills and secured funding for a place at an independent school. More

Tough Transition “Falling off the cliff” is the term often used by worried parents and family members when young adults with autism and other developmental differences turn 18. More

That's Super The Community Integrated Care Learning Disability Super League gives people with learning disabilities and autism the chance to live their dreams as rugby league stars, playing a specially adapted version of the sport for the clubs that they love.  Now they are award winners! More

Seeing signs Schools are failing to spot ADHD and autism, which could be contributing to a rise in exclusions, an alternative education provider has said. Kelly Rowlands, who runs schools for excluded children, said seven out of nine of her pupils arrived with undiagnosed neurodiversity issues. More

Autism explained It's never easy but Robyn Steward explains autism, and all the terms that go with it better than most. Listen to a podcast with Robyn. More

Autistic and funny with it Comedian Hannah Gadsby - how an autism diagnosis changed her life More

At home with autism Why do so many parents home-school their children with autism? Ofsted’s recent report says that special educational needs, medical, behavioural or other well-being needs were the main reasons behind such a move for parents and their children More

Autistic mother and daughter “She’s still the same girl she was before she got diagnosed,” I said, tears dripping down my face. “And I’m still the same woman you married, too.” More

Autism at work Our brains don’t all work the same way. One New York-based software company sees that as a competitive advantage. More

Need is different from want "My eldest autistic son lives with daily and debilitating levels of anxiety, most probably on account of engaging with an intolerable and inflexible neurotypical world which bombards him endlessly with noise and communication that is not easy for him to decipher." Read about the need for self-regulation activities and the dangers of using them as rewards. More

Order, order! Structure and security are important to all people.  They  are basic human needs. But being autistic often means that these needs are even more critical. More

Cost of camouflaging "Masking or camouflaging is something just about everybody does on a daily basis. Depending on where you are or who you are with, you act a certain way. People with autism have to do this on a much deeper level. We live in a world that was not designed for us, so we learn to 'hide' the things that make us seem different." More

Picture power SymbolWorld is a website created by Widgit Software specifically for symbol users. It has material for all ages and includes news, personal contributions, stories and learning materials. More

Which way with PDA? The Pathological Demand Avoidance profile of autism might need an adapted approach and a different set of tools. More

Seeing sound, hearing colours What can synaesthesia tell us about autism? More

Story of autism and art Kambel Smith was diagnosed with autism when he was eight years old. Over the past ten years, his father has engaged him in daily improvised storytelling, encouraging Smith to participate in the created narrative by making drawings and sculpture. The results are visible in galleries around the globe. More

Tough to talk about? Listen to Amy Gravino, autism advocate, on what parents can say about sex and relationships to autistic youngsters. More

B is for bullied A study has found autistic children are more likely to be victims of bullying. Researchers call for more resources to help parents deal with bullying behaviours in home and school. More

Rude! "A recent altercation I had with a flight attendant exemplified just how little most people understand about neurological diversity", Laura McKenna (Mum to Ian who has Aspergers). More

Touching The inability to tolerate light touch is a telltale feature of autism. What causes it? More

Design for life How can autism-friendly architecture change autistic children’s lives? How do we design/change schools for children with autism. More

Sad situation Autistic people are four times as likely to experience depression over the course of their lives as their neurotypical peers. Yet researchers know little about why, or how best to help. More

A big question Researchers are taking a multi-pronged approach to understanding a great mystery of autism: Why are four times more boys diagnosed with the condition than girls? The lack of information about autism in girls means many are never diagnosed and miss out on support. More

Right to work (without discrimination) A Wales Trade Union Congress survey showed only 16% of autistic adults were in full-time paid work. The organisation also said it was dealing with cases where staff were not getting reasonable adaptations in the workplace, required under the Equality Act. More

Teachers must train Parents of autistic children have protested at Stormont over the lack of mandatory training on autism for teachers in Northern Ireland. More than 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for improvements to be made in schools. More

Autism plays a part Actress and playwright Anna Kyle talks about how realising she had Asperger Syndrome has helped her understand and cope with life More

Art of autism At the age of 15, Niam Jain has achieved a level of respect and recognition in North American art circles typically reserved for much older artists. More

Seeking social My brother Michael leaves the best voicemails, is a great traveling companion and does a spot-on impression of our late grandmother. Michael is also on the autism spectrum, and has been my life’s best reference for loving someone who is neuroatypical. More

Crisis? this crisis "We had to fight for even a basic assessment. Now we’ve been told the school setting he needs is not available" More

Not helping A survey of Scottish autistic people has found that over half have had negative experiences while trying to access mental health services. More

'Getting' autismThree golden rules for supporting autistic pupils - we need to move beyond generalisations and bust some of the myths around autism, says Luke Beardon. More

That's part of it Mounting evidence supports the idea that motor and sensory differences are notable features of autism. More

I declare If you have autism should you disclose that fact when you're trying for a job? If you've been hired without sharing your spectrum condition with your boss, should you tell him or her about it? More

Inside story Disproportionately higher numbers of people with learning disabilities are in prison. Around 7% of people in the criminal justice system have a learning disability, compared with around 2% of the population. More

Terms of engagement How to approach the difficult world of dating on the spectrum More

Make time make sense “First, then” is a technique used to help organize the day, or the session, or the next three minutes. More

Home is where it's at In a new guideline, NICE says children, young people and adults with learning disabilities, who have behaviour that challenges, should have the right support to live their lives in the community like everyone else. More

Also Adults "Autistic children become autistic adults and, as the first generation of mainstreamed students grow up, we need to start having 'an adult conversation' around autism." More

Designed by autism Every detail of the new Shrub Oak International School near NYC—from windows to wall colours—was crafted with autistic students in mind. More

Travel chaos Travelling on public transport can be pretty stressful at the best of times. However, for someone who is autistic, venturing on their everyday commute and facing the unknown can be an incredibly overwhelming experience. More

Ready or not? The number of individuals with ASC entering adulthood each year is expected to double over the next 6 years. What can they expect? Jobs, independence, somewhere of their own? More

Problem diagnosed Putting autism diagnostic services in the hands of a private provider hasn't worked in Kent and hundreds of children are still waiting. More

Help at hand Biometric technology could be the future of autism care. Wristband sensors can monitor tiny physiological signs and alert support workers and clinicians to an individual’s growing anxiety. More