Autism | Support for families and carers

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability, this means it affects how your brain works. Autism is not an illness, it is a condition that people are born with and have throughout their life.

As a parent you may feel to blame for your child’s autism, but there is nothing that you could have done to change the outcome of your child being born with autism.

Signs your child might have autism

Depending where your child is on the autism spectrum you may pick up on clear signs that your child might have autism. Other signs can be subtle and go unnoticed until your child is much older and their ability to cope with school, friends and general day to day life is impacted.

How to talk to your child about autism

If you suspect that your child has autism, it can be difficult to explain to them the reasons why you would like them to see a doctor, this can be especially trickier for older children.

How to talk to your child about autism

When talking about autism:

Getting help for your child

The first step to get help for your child is to speak to your GP or support them to see their GP and ask to be referred for an autism test. It can be a long wait before you get your initial appointment, there are options to go private but this will cost money.

It can be helpful to reach out to support groups and organisations to get information on how you can support your child and help them until they are seen by a doctor.