I spent some delightful time recently with a family I have known for years – not in a professional capacity, just chilling out and enjoying coffee and autism chat – my usual pastime. One member of the family has provided plenty of challenges to ‘service providers’ over the years, having been excluded from an autism specialist school who couldn’t cope and subsequently living at home ever since under the excellent watch of his parents. Multiple agencies have tried to work with him without success. Watching his interactions with Mum and Dad really made me think about how easy it would be for an ‘outsider’ – or someone ‘not in the know’ – to completely misinterpret his facial expressions, body language, and voice prosody. This, in turn, made me reflect on the Don Tillman character in the second ‘Rosie’ book series, The Rosie Effect (Simsion, 2015) when he alludes to how ridiculous he finds it that most people presume that not demonstrating emotion equates to lacking in emotional function. This, in conjunction with reading the utterly superb Blog The Highs and Lows of Functionality made me want to write about, and clarify, a few aspects of autism that are sometimes (or often) misunderstood.

What you see is not (always) what you get – in other words, those facial expressions (or lack of) are not necessarily an indication of what an autistic person is (or isn’t) feeling. It’s quite extraordinary how subtle the PNT (predominant neurotype) can be when translating (PNT) facial expression, perhaps because of the PNT skill of contextualising very quickly – perhaps this is where the expression ‘nervous laughter’ comes from; individuals are allowed to laugh ‘nervously’, because those around them understand that the emotional expression is not one of mirth, but actually stems from anxiety. Hang on, then – why isn’t the same concept applied to people with autism? I know plenty of autistic people who laugh, smile, giggle, grin, gurn, or chuckle as expressions of (sometimes extreme) anxiety – but rather than recognising this, their teachers, peers, or professionals indicate that this is ‘inappropriate facial expression’ and promptly suggest some kind of social skills course. What is that all about?

Funnily enough, while at the family’s house, Mum told me of an interesting conversation with a social worker who had visited recently, along the lines of:

SW (on ‘observing’ for half an hour or so): “He’s got very good eye contact with me, hasn’t he!? I wasn’t expecting that…”

Mum: “Er, no, he hasn’t actually noticed you yet, he’s still processing the noise of the door bell, the one we asked you not to press when you got here…He isn’t looking at you, he’s looking straight through you”.

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In a similar vein to the above, a lack of emotional expression may have nothing whatsoever to do with emotional feeling – autistic people have feelings (I feel stupid writing that, but do know that to this day some people view autistic folk as ‘unfeeling’) but they may not express those feelings in a way that is easily understood by the PNT. But – that’s ok, surely? Well, it is – and it isn’t. It’s perfectly ok for autistic individuals to have a very different way of expressing emotions – of course it is – but what is not ok is for them to be judged incorrectly as a result. All those children and adults totally unfairly branded as lacking in emotion, being uncaring, unloving, cold…so many false assumptions made – and over a population for whom society has even decided are not brilliant with their facial expressions!

Most of the autistic people I know have incredible depth to their emotional repertoire – and yes, from an external PNT perspective lacking the necessary translating skills, that depth may go unnoticed; but just because it’s unnoticed, does not mean that it isn’t there. I believe that autistic individuals are best at expressing their emotions when they are relaxed – and yet, almost by definition, high levels of emotional feeling will mean the individual is not relaxed – sometimes, quite the opposite. So, is it so hard to understand that in the midst of what might even be emotional overload, with the myriad of internal cognitive functions trying to deal with the emotion, understand it, process it, identify it, name it, respond to it…that the face is the last thing that the brain is telling what to do? And even if the face is contorted into some resemblance of an ‘expression’ it’s likely not to be one that matches PNT expectations?

Of course – not all of this applies to all autistic individuals – or, even, to the same person (people will respond differently in different environments) – but I can bet that there are so many autistic individuals who have been mis-read and subsequently misunderstood, almost always with negative connotations, who would have benefitted from knowledge that their faces are not a conduit to their emotional expression.

What you see is not (always) what you get. It’s time society stopped applying the same rules of communication onto the autistic population for whom those rules don’t even apply. Perhaps, in time, the PNT will learn how to read (autistic) faces, and be less ‘face-blind’…and damaging, erroneous assumptions, will be reduced.

This came about when I was thinking about two very different triathlon experiences, and subsequently reflecting on pupils with autism at school. Anyone who has experienced an open water mass swim start to a race will know how scary it can be – lots of physical contact, arms and legs thrashing all over, goggles in danger of being knocked off, faster swimmers swimming over you – all in all, it can be pretty intimidating. However, I took part in an event recently where every single competitor had their own swim start, each 30 seconds apart. It was an incredible experience, so very different to a mass start – almost surreal, in fact, so different it was to what I was used to. I am not suggesting that one is better that the other (I quite like the adrenaline prompting mass start myself and found the individual start a bit lonely!) – just contextualising my thoughts, as it made me think of transition time in schools. Not only did the mass start prompt me to think of school, but the word ‘transition’ is very much associated with triathlons, so one thought led to the next…

Pretty much everyone associated with autism in whatever capacity will recognise that the word ‘transition’ is related to autism in a very negative way. Transition, it seems, is not an autism friendly concept. So – what is being done about it? There are all sorts of references to transition in various policies and guidance – but in this brief Blog I want to highlight a very specific area of transition with three suggestions that just might benefit pupils in school. They are suggestions only, not evidence based research – so, you make up your own minds as to their potential worth.

The transition I am referring to is that between lessons. Very often, the scenario is one of apparent chaos to an outsider – but for the pupil with autism it is potentially an horrendous experience, which must be lived through several times every school day. The sensory overload alone might be enough for the autistic student to feel terrified of these transitionary times, let alone the myriad of occurrences that may or may not happen that simply cannot be prepared for. Now, schools simply don’t have the time to follow triathlon scenario two from the first paragraph – but I wonder if simply dividing each class into three groups (or, in triathlon terms, waves) and asking each one to leave with a minute gap between might go a huge way to alleviate some of the problems autistic students face during busy corridor times? It would be possible to ensure that the students who most benefit from quieter transitions to go in the first group, which again could be of huge beneficial impact to some students. And, really, would it waste much time? I suspect in the end it would either make no difference or – if disruption between lessons reduces, it may even save time. So, that is suggestion number one.

Suggestion number two – think about the school bell signifying the end of a lesson. Some schools I know of have abolished the school bell entirely, such was the negative impact it was having on their students on the spectrum. I have heard of some schools who have special lights that are used to indicate imminent transition times and how students report positively of the system, and others where classroom lights are dimmed briefly to show that the end of a lesson is due. Of course these suggestions may not be possible, particularly if there are students with visual issues who require auditory signals – but there are alternatives to school bells which are autism friendly, and can make a very significant impact on those students with auditory hypersensitivity. One of my favourites that I have come across is a visual ‘countdown’ traffic light system, where the green light (lesson in progress) changes to amber to signify five minutes to go, then red for the end of lesson. Very autism friendly indeed!

My third suggestion relates to seating. Some students love routine and consistency, and having the same seat in each classroom may be hugely anxiety-alleviating for them. Knowing who is sat next to them, knowing what to expect, and what the view will be are all aspects that may be useful to the student on the spectrum. Some students may also prefer a seat in a specific area of the classroom – next to the window for natural light for example, or right at the front so they can concentrate on the teacher and have a less ‘busy’ view of the classroom, or right at the back so they don’t feel as though everyone else is looking at them.Each student will have his or her own preference, and if this stems from a specific autism-related need which is subsequently me it may again go some way towards reducing stress.

So, three suggestions to reduce anxiety for autistic pupils, all relating to transition from one class to the next. While they may seem minor or trivial – to some students they may be hugely impactful.

Please add comments to share your success stories with others; until next time, thank you as always for reading, and feel free to share with anyone who you feel might benefit!

Over many years of working with families and school I have come across such an abundance of children with autism who appear to be highly vulnerable – ironically, as a direct result of being intellectually able enough to do a sufficient job of seemingly ‘fitting in’ at school while the reality is very different.
The profile of these children is that they may be academically able, and have the skills necessary to hide their autism ‘characteristics’ (often this is in the form of keeping a lid on behaviours that they might display in other situations, e.g. at home) and are able to use considerable intellectual effort to ‘conform’ to a degree that their actual needs may be overlooked. Many of these children, it should be noted (though, of course, not all) are female – and many may not have a diagnosis (again ironically, for similar reasons as outlined). Very often, these are children who would not appear to qualify for an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP – what used to be a statement) and would not usually be considered for an educational placement outside of mainstream school.
From an educational perspective this is absolutely understandable; why would schools seek to create a problem that does not seem to exist? However, in my view these are some of the most vulnerable children on the autism spectrum. Talking to parents as well as autistic adults (very often who have been diagnosed in adulthood) it becomes apparent just how traumatic school life can be for these children. Individuals report that they spend a huge amount of both intellectual and emotional effort simply to be as inconspicuous as possible; being ‘in the spotlight’ or drawing attention to self is reported as hugely stressful and anxiety provoking – hence the very reasonable rationale of wanting to avoid any kind of unwanted attention. This, though, leads to two key issues:
1. With such a degree of conscious work going into reducing anxiety by trying to ‘fit in’ the pupil may be at a considerable disadvantage in relation to their academic studies;
2. With any kind of success at ‘fitting in’ the pupil may be masking very real problems that teaching staff might otherwise be aware of.
The result of the above could be that a student ends up being intellectually drained without reaching their academic potential while at the same time leading educational staff to believe that there are no underlying problems – a double whammy that can last throughout a whole education (including Further and Higher educational experiences). I have met so very many adults who suggest that they would have been able to get far better grades had they not felt the need to make such an effort at pretending to be someone else at school.
One of the major problems with this situation is that very often high levels of anxiety remain with the pupil/student. While ‘copying behaviour’ (echopraxia – in this case, conscious) may alleviate the day to day confrontations that the pupil seeks to avoid, it does not necessarily reduce overall anxiety. The pupil still has to work up the courage on a daily basis to enter into an environment that they find confusing and chaotic, while at the same time working up the energy to put on a façade to reduce any unwelcome attention. Imagine you know that you have to do something that causes you stress – perhaps a job interview, or an exam. When you wake up in the morning, how do you feel? Would you prefer not to have to do it? Are you dreading it? Are you wishing it was already over? Having spoken to many children and adults with autism I believe that similar feelings of dread are felt by pupils accessing mainstream schools – but they have to put themselves through this every single school day. Some days are even worse than others – having a lesson (e.g. PE) that is less structured than others, or having a day that it outside of the ‘norm’ (e.g. non-school uniform day) can add to overall anxiety, sometimes to an extreme degree. There is little research into lived experiences of ongoing, long term, consistent levels of anxiety for school children with autism, nor the subsequent impact; research does suggest, though, that levels of anxiety for school-aged children are higher than their peers.
Autism has been referred to as ‘invisible’ – I suggest that even within the ‘invisible’ autism population there is an even more hard to reach group; children who are in desperate need for understanding and support, but whose at-school presentation does not indicate any particular issue with attending school. Sometimes, it’s the hardest to reach group that are in the greatest need.

There seems to be an awful lot of testing in the current day and age. From early childhood all the way through to job interviews and ‘fitness to work’ and all that goes on in between; one can be ‘tested’, for example, in any of the following areas: educational evaluations, various developmental milestones, diagnostic assessments, psychometric testing, interviews, Doctoral viva, personality – the list could go on.
So? What’s the problem? What’s the point of this in relation to autism (NB this includes Asperger Syndrome).
The issue is fairness and equality, as well as accuracy of ‘results’. My critical premise is that a test for one person that provides accurate results may not give as accurate results for someone else who may process that test in a different way. If ‘testing’ is developed with the majority of the population in mind, then surely there is a reasonably robust argument to suggest that if one falls outside of the demographic majority then the test may not be as applicable in terms of efficacy and/or accuracy of results. Take the following example:

It is GCSE maths and the exam is imminent. An autistic pupil takes the test, but rather than following protocol, he simply answers the questions without showing how he has worked them out. His argument – which makes perfect sense to him – is that he doesn’t need to show how he has worked his answers out, as by getting them right it should be self-evident that he knows how to work them out. Conversely, he feels very strongly that should he get the answers wrong then he does not deserve any marks at all. He is, in fact, a very gifted mathematician.

In this example, the student may score fewer marks than someone who dutifully shows their workings out, and yet he may have answered all questions correctly. Is the test, then, an accurate reflection of mathematical ability, or a reflection on how well one engages with the test itself? In the case of the autistic student it would seem that it is the latter, and not the former. Subsequently, despite being excellent at maths, the student may not have the opportunity to have this reflected in his grade.
Another aspect of ‘testing’ that stands out for me is the job interview. I find it incomprehensible that most employers still use this form of assessment when trying to identify potential candidates for employment. Quite aside from the plethora of issues that face an autistic individual and the potential disadvantage they might face in an interview situation, logic alone dictates that demonstrating expertise within an interview is exactly that – being good at an interview. This does not necessarily correlate with being any good whatsoever at the job one is being interviewed for. The converse is perhaps far more important – representing poorly at interview does not necessarily mean that one is going to be an inadequate employee. So many people with autism bemoan the fact that interviews are the barrier that preclude them from gaining employment, despite feeling that they are well able to do the job. As someone mentioned to me, “instead of interviewing me, please just observe me doing the job for an hour instead – and judge me on that” – which I think in many cases is eminently sensible advice. Of course, it is not always practical, possible, pragmatic, or even appropriate to observe a potential employee at work – but it’s certainly an idea worth exploring to go some way towards making employment opportunities more available and, perhaps, fairer.
Taking the argument to a conceptual level, if any test is attempting to reflect the neurology of an individual in any way – then unless the test is adapted to suit the cognitive style of the ‘testee’ then how can results be said to be valid? Many (if not all) individuals with autism will have ‘spiky profiles’ – i.e. neurological strengths and weaknesses. This may result in an inaccurate reflection of both ability and difficulty. For example, an individual with autism may take a psychometric test to ascertain her intellectual quotient (IQ). The British Psychological Society (BPS) (BPS.org.uk, last accessed 12.11.15) note that tests are devised very carefully and that large numbers of people are used in a pilot. The BPS also acknowledge that tests will determine how ‘typical applicants’ score on the test. However, large numbers of people presumably don’t take autism in to account, and would an autistic person be considered a ‘typical applicant’? If results are taken at ‘face value’ without the individual’s neurological profile being taken into consideration, does this mean that the outcome is questionable? Quite possibly, yes.
As already noted in relation to job interviews, individuals may have good skill sets relating to employment but without the requisite skills at interview. There will also be situations – which can cause just as much distress – where judgements are made and assumptions formed about an individual’s level of skill in one area based on another. In other words, an assumption may be made along the lines of ‘well, he’s academically brilliant, so he simply must know that telling the truth about his neighbour’s weight problem to her face was a daft thing to do’. Well, for a person with autism his academic intellect may have nothing whatsoever to do with skills around what (and what not) to say to a neighbour. Such assumptions may be very dangerous indeed.
So, as (almost) always, the answer lies in treating the autistic person on an individual level, not using generic assessments but tailoring them to take the person’s way of communicating, interacting, and processing into account. Unless we make adjustments in how skills are determined, we run the risk of making erroneous assumptions around what a person can and can’t do – which, simply, seems unfair.

Hi – while I am not a clinician in any way, shape, or form, I do recognise that sensory issues are a huge part of life for most autistic people, and over the years have spoken to hundreds of individuals and families about sensory experiences. From this, and with a huge nod to the work of Olga Bogdashina, I have set out some questions around sensory experiences that some may find useful. Getting a good sensory profile to take needs into account at school, home, in the workplace – wherever – can have the potential to be of massive benefit. The questions are not exhaustive, of course, and some may be inapplicable – but, it’s a start, at the very least. If you wanted me to add to the questions with your own suggestions please free to comment, or email me – l.beardon@shu.ac.uk

Sensory Questionnaire

Please fill in comments on how you are affected in the following sensory areas. If you do not see any sensory issues under a particular heading simply leave blank. Please give as many examples as you can possibly think of. This can be filled in by an autistic individual, a parent, or both!

Touch

Do you show sensory sensitivity with touch? For example how do you react to the following?:

• Material – do you show a preference/dislike to specific types?
• Sleeves – do you need to have either short sleeves or long sleeves?
• Do you find labels in clothes uncomfortable?
• Do you mind seams in socks?
• Tight / loose clothing -is there a preference?
• Belts – do you feel a strong need to wear one?
• Buttons – like/dislike?
• Shoes – easy or not to buy new shoes? Do you like to take shoes off whenever possible? What about socks – are there similar issues?
• Colour – is there a reaction to different colour of clothes?
• Hats do you like to wear one? If so, why?
• Trousers / shorts – is there a preference?

Is there an apparent lack of ability to dress appropriate to the weather?

Hugs – do you like them or not? Do they need to be a certain way?

Soft touches vs firm – is there a preference?

Are there any issues with the following?:

• Skin on skin contact
• Brushing past people
• Proximity to people
• Texture of food
• Shape of food

Do you show extreme hypersensitivity, for example with touching of:

• Hair
• Nails
• Teeth

Do you resist:

• Getting hair wet
• Having hair brushed
• Having hair cut
• Having nails cut

Auditory

Do you show intense hypersensitivity to a specific noise, e.g.:

• Dogs barking
• Paper tearing
• Vacuum cleaners

Do you have an inability to separate sounds, e.g.:

• Background noise
• Extraneous auditory information
• Voices

Do you hear noises that others cannot?

Do you love certain noises and seek them out?

Do you tune into certain noises and then appear not to hear anything else?

Will you listen to the same noise over and over again?

Do you ever cover ears in response to a noise – and, if so, what was the noise?

Olfactory

Do you use smell to recognise objects/people?

Is there extreme hypersensitivity – e.g. the ability to pick up smells that others cannot?

Are some smells overpowering?

Are certain smells greatly offensive?

Are certain smells sought out?

Taste

Do you use taste to recognise objects/people?

Does the texture of food matter?

Does the colour of food matter?

Are you a ‘fussy’ eater?

Does food need to be prepared in a certain way?

Do you insist on eating certain brands?

Can you differentiate between brands by taste (i.e. without seeing the packaging)?

Visual

Do you notice patterns in the surroundings?

Do you notice detail that others do not?

Do you like order – e.g. straight edges.

Will you rearrange the environment to suit his/her needs?

Do you get absorbed in looking at certain things?

Do flickering lights or screens bother you?

Vestibular

Do you rock/engage in rhythmical movements?

Do you flap? If so, when?

Do you love jumping up and down?

Do you ‘fear’ movements such as going down a slide?

Do you easily lose their balance?

Do you have difficulty in sitting still?

Proprioception

Will you misinterpret how much to flex or extend muscles when doing tasks?

Do you struggle with handwriting?

Do you frequently (accidentally) break things?

Do you miscalculate weight?

Do you use too much force, e.g. slamming doors or banging objects onto the table?

Do you tend to bump into people when walking, or veer off from a straight line?

Do you love deep pressure, e.g. strong hugs?

Do you seek small, enclosed spaces?

Do you walk on tip toes?

The following question was posed to me in the ‘Ask the Experts’ section of AuKids magazine (http://www.aukids.co.uk/) in their Spring edition, 2014:

‘How and when would you recommend I tell my child about their diagnosis? I am nervous about discussing it.’

This was my response (with some additions):

As is so often the case in the autism world there is no simple ‘one size fits all’ answer to this issue – and yet it is such an important one! I tend to suggest that there are three aspects that need consideration which will help decide the ‘when’ of broaching the subject, and these are:

 

1. intellectual ability
2. cognitive and communicative ability
3. motivation

 

Simply, unless the individual has sufficient skills in the first two and a certain level in the third, it is unlikely that any discussion will be beneficial. However, with the right mix of these three, I would think that you are good to go.

 

It is always a good idea to think long term – so, from the earliest possible age, start to identify concepts such as ‘difference’ – this can be a daily game and should always be based on the philosophy that a) yes, the world is full of difference, but b) being different is not a bad thing. One such game (and use your imaginations to create others) is what I like to call the bowl of fruit game. Have your pre-prepared bowl full of oranges, with the one solitary apple. Questions – are there loads more oranges than apples? [Yes]. Do you like apples? [Yes]. Are apples different to oranges? [Yes]. Does this make apples any less worthy? [No]. does the fact that apples fit different ‘criteria (colour, taste, etc.) make them somehow inferior? [No]. These sorts of questions/games can develop a child’s conceptual understanding of difference, and how difference does not mean anything negative.  In a similar vein, diversity and individuality can be notions that are developed in a simple, but positive manner. Then, when it is crunch time, the individual should have an array of ideas and terms than are actually applicable, as opposed to a confusing new set of communications that may muddy the waters.

 

The individual may also ‘tell’ you when s/he is ready. Questions such as ‘why can’t I do that as well as her?’, or any questions relating to difference are indicators that the individual may well benefit from having a better understanding of self.

 

I am beginning to reject the term ‘diagnosis’ – one gets diagnosed when there is something wrong with you in medical terms, and this should perhaps not be applied to autism. I far prefer the term ‘identification’ and the connotations with ‘identity’ – to discover that one has a new identity that explains so much can be a wonderful thing – as opposed to the doom and gloom so often associated with a diagnosis. So, please be careful how you choose the terms you use, as the longer term impact can be considerable. If it is feasible bring the individual’s interest into the equation – there are many famous real life and fictional autistic people that you can refer to if applicable. What is also crucial is to ensure the individual understands that just because they are autistic it does not mean s/he will be the same as others with the same identification – there may well be some similarities, but everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are their own. It’s important to make this clear to avoid potential issues with poor self esteem.

 

As much as possible make the news positive – this is an explanation of who a person is, not a dire foreboding of dreadful times to come! I like the Tony Attwood style of ‘congratulations’ when it comes to understanding one is autistic. However, do also be honest, as the individual is likely to store what has been said and revisit it often. Make the person feel exactly as they should – i.e. as a wonderful, interesting, different to the majority, unique person who has a fantastically interesting brain, and whose future could be anything they choose. Being autistic does not preclude anything at all, apart from not being autistic!

I have been asked by SHU to provide the article published in yesterday’s Yorkshire Post, so here it is (horrible feelings of hubris but I promise it’s only because I was told to):

Decades ago I found myself supporting a young woman with autism. I had done my reading of the autism texts of the time, and was singularly surprised when nothing I had read matched up to the person I was sat next to. There was no flapping, she had no interest in my earrings or buttons; she wasn’t even lining anything up!

For us at The Autism Centre one of the key messages we are trying to promote is that a medical (textbook) view of autism is often not an appropriate one.

The concept that all people with autism are disordered, impaired, or somehow ‘lesser’ is one that needs to be challenged. Having worked closely with people with autism for more than 20 years, I have had the pleasure of meeting many hugely intelligent, insightful, kind, caring, loyal, skilled autistic individuals, including two of my Doctoral students who both graduated successfully and are now prominent in their respective fields.

Some of the strongest marriages I have encountered are between people with autism, and I have also met multi-millionaire entrepreneurs who have been identified as autistic.

So, the question remains, why is it that autism continues to be seen as a disorder, with terms such as ‘impaired functioning’ still so rife within the literature and current diagnostic manuals? Why is it that one needs to present as a ‘problem’ before being in a position to be identified as autistic? Even the term ‘diagnosis’ brings along its own associations with ‘illness’ or ‘disease’. Surely, this gives out the wrong message to all involved – parents, individuals, and the public? For years I have been suggesting that the term ‘identification’ is a more appropriate one, decreasing the pejorative language so often heard in reference to autism.

Without doubt being autistic in a world populated in the main by people who are not can cause huge issues for the individual and their family. But this is not the same as suggesting that the problems are caused by being autistic. The very fact that there are plenty of autistic individuals who are hugely successful demonstrates that being autistic does not preclude anything at all.

The sad fact is that there are still pockets of thought that deny this; comments such as ‘she will never be able to have children’, ‘he will never go to University’ and the like are still way too prevalent. Parents of newly identified children are still sometimes told what the future will hold, despite the fact that no one has a crystal ball. Perhaps many of the problems stem from being in a poorly understood minority group, rather than directly from being autistic?

Nonetheless, things are certainly changing for the better – however slowly. The National Autistic Society (NAS), for example, actively promotes employment for people with autism – and, at last, Higher Education is beginning to recognise the value of having autistic students researching into areas relating to autism. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is working to ensure a level playing field in the workplace, although there is some way to go before this is fully realised.

 

The Autism Centre at Sheffield Hallam University is working to further these initial advances; to continue to promote a more accepting view of autism and to encourage society to recognise the potential of autistic individuals.

One of the courses we run in collaboration with the NAS has welcomed a plethora of autistic speakers, guest lecturers and autistic students each year since its launch. The insight and expertise from such individuals is invaluable, providing richness and value to the course. Indeed, it would be foolish not to acknowledge that without the input from autistic individuals on the course, students and lecturers alike, it would be highly unlikely that the qualification would be such a huge success.

So, have perceptions changed over the years? Well, for absolute certain I can say that mine have. I no longer assume that all publications are ‘correct’, and recognise that all autistic people are individuals. I have learnt to challenge the notion of impairment and disorder, while still recognising the huge challenges faced by individuals and families. I have begun to recognise the damage that can be done by ignorance and misinformation. I have learnt that changing perceptions through a better understanding of autism can significantly improve lives, and the best way to develop an understanding of autism is to listen to those who are autistic, their families and friends. In terms of general perception – well, certainly society is moving slowly in the right direction, with more and more autistic people self-advocating and promoting their strengths; however, I believe there is an awful long way to go.

 

Dr Luke Beardon is a member of staff in The Autism Centre at Sheffield Hallam University. He has been working as a practitioner providing support and consultancy in the field of autism and Asperger syndrome for around 20 years. Luke has been nominated for a National Autistic Society Lifetime Achievement Award at the Autism Professionals Awards, to be held in Harrogate on March 3.

 

 

 

Note – this is not applicable to all individuals with autism, nor all schools!!!

Regarding autism and whether it is possible for children to display different behaviours at home compared to school – this is something that over the years probably hundreds of parents have asked me about. So often the message is a similar (and familiar) one – that at school the child ‘behaves’ well, while at home things can get…well, kinda out of hand! This results in huge frustration for parents who cannot seem to get school to accept that behaviour at home is so different to that at school, with school insisting that ‘everything must be ok’ [NB I am not suggesting that all schools respond in this way, many will be highly supportive of the family).

 

It is very clearly documented (by parents and professionals, as well as organisations such as the NAS) that many children with autism (though not all) will display considerably different behaviours in different settings. This can be as a result of a wide range of reasons, from central coherence abilities, to environmental factors, to differing levels of stress in different situations. A reasonably common pattern in terms of school/home behaviour is that the child may appear to present with no problems at school, but at home there can be major issues in terms of behaviour. Often, the result is that either school simply do not believe that the child they see at school can be displaying the reported behaviours at home, or that school erroneously believe that because the behaviours are only seen at home then the causing factors for the behaviour must also be situated there. This is not always the case, and it is of imperative importance that all parties involved recognise the serious nature of high levels of distress, and recognise that all aspects of the individual’s life may be a contributory factor towards high arousal – which, in turn, may manifest in behavioural issues. This can lead well into adulthood – for example I know several people whose behaviour at work appears to demonstrate no problem at all, whereas the reality is that they are in high states of anxiety and stress, to the point of self injury at home, and, in some cases, anxiety and depression. This demonstrates just how important it is that all concerned recognise this reasonably common autism related pattern as early as possible, in order to support the child (or adult) well. Just because a child has the ability to ‘mask’ their autism at school does not mean that they are not greatly impacted by their autism on a daily basis. In fact, it is often this ‘masking’ behaviour (acting, or copying other children) that lead school to believe that there is no problem at school; however, it may be that the child is behaving in this way precisely because they are stressed and have discovered that by copying others they can ‘hide’ their very real problems. When at home, all of the emotional distress may then be released in what is seen as a safe environment. The irony is that in some cases, it is the stress and anxiety experienced at school that subsequently lead to the copying behaviour and subsequent meltdowns at home!

Differences between exams and homework from an autism perspective

Context

Some autistic students will demonstrate a good academic standard when completing homework, and yet perform less well when faced with exams. This is clearly not the case for all students, but it is essential that there is an understanding within educational establishments that there may be good reasons behind the disparities so that measures can be taken to ensure that the student is not unfairly discriminated against during exam times. Under the Equality Act students are ‘allowed’ ‘reasonable adjustments’ so that they do not face unlawful discrimination as a result of being autistic, so an understanding of how an autistic student might engage with exams is essential; both so that the student can be given the opportunities to meet their potential, and that a school does not act unlawfully.

Key Differences

Key differences between abilities to engage successfully with homework compared to examinations include:

• Familiar environment
• Choice
• Time

Familiar environment

Autistic students can be hugely affected by their environments. It is very likely that there will be a direct correlation between levels of arousal (emotional, sensory, anxiety, etc.) and ability to perform cognitively, so it is vital for all autistic students to be as calm as possible in exam conditions in order for them to perform to their best abilities. Homework (as the name implies) is usually undertaken at home, where the individual is able to identify and access an area in which they are most comfortable to engage in intellectual pursuits. This might be in a very quiet area on their own, or under the covers in bed – each student will likely have their own, preferred, location in which they feel most comfortable. This option is unlikely to be afforded them during exams, which may be a considerable factor to take into account when considering potential disparities between achievement at exams compared to performances with homework.

Choice

At home all sorts of choices are likely to be available to the student which is not usually the case for exams. Of particular note, the learning style of the student is likely to be more adhered to at home (often with support from a parent) which is not something that most exams take into account. It is important to note that support around learning styles is not a case of a parent ‘doing it for them’, but rather a parent who has a good understanding of the communication and learning style of the student being able to interpret tasks and present them in an ‘autism friendly’ manner. This ‘translation’ between the predominant neurotype (PNT) modus operandi and the autism cognitive style can make all the difference between a student understanding what is needed, compared to misunderstanding of tasks and wasted energies going in to providing work unrelated to what is required.

In addition to the sorts of support provided by a ‘mentor’ the student will have more choice available to them at home related to their own autism preferences. These are individual to each student and can cover a wide range of aspects of learning – everything from choosing their preferred sensory environment through to ascertaining how long is required to process information.

Time

One of the most critical aspects of homework that works in the favour of the autistic student compared to exams is the duration they have in which to complete. Many autistic students have slow processing time, which means that longer is required for them to complete tasks relative to their PNT peers. Without limitations on time the pressure under which the student works is considerably reduced, which allows the student a better chance of optimising their cognitive capabilities. It may be that the autistic student requires much more time to process information and formulate responses than their peers, and it is often the case that because this occurs ‘behind closed doors’ that schools may not appreciate just how long certain tasks can take. Of course, students will be set tasks at school, which can give teaching staff an indicator of how long the student might require; nonetheless, the time ‘allowed’ for homework compared to exams can be a poignant factor in understanding why a student may fare well in homework tasks and yet not achieve similar results come exam time.

 

Factors to consider during exams

• Ambiguity of questions
• Writing skills
• Monotropic style

Ambiguity of questions

Many autistic students will process language accurately (or literally). If a question is not absolutely clear, or if there are ambiguities, then there is an increased risk of the student answering the question in an incorrect manner. It is important, therefore, to, make sure that the student has a fair opportunity to ascertain the meaning of the questions and what is required of them in terms of answers.

Writing Skills

Many autistic students find handwriting extremely problematic. If this is the case then it is often opportune to provide the student with an alternative form of response. Most obvious is the use of a laptop or computer; some may prefer a scribe, or even in some cases verbal responses might be considered, followed by a transcription of the recorded responses.

Monotropic Style

If a student has a monotropic (single channelled) processing style then exams will likely be far more demanding for the student than if they were adept at multi-channelling. Moving from one mode of processing to another is likely to take a considerably lengthier time for the monotropic student; this can include moving from one task to the next, or moving from reading an exam paper to responding on a computer. In order to reduce risk of discrimination, it is highly advisable for the educational system to take this into account when examining students.

Possible Solutions

The following are possible solutions to some of the issues raised:

• Educational ‘mentor’
• Environmental adaptations
• Temporal adjustments

Educational ‘mentor’

If required, it may be beneficial to have an educational mentor for autistic students. The role would categorically not be to assist the student in any way that would favour them in subject specific academia; rather, it would be to reduce issues raised by the individual’s autism to reduce risk of discrimination. The mentor may be in a position to ascertain whether the student has understood the questions posed, for example.

Environmental adaptations

These may include allowing the use of headphones to block out noises, allowing the student to take exams in an environment of their choosing (there are examples of students taking exams at home under invigilation, for example), or taking the exam in a room on their own.

Temporal adjustments

It may be highly beneficial for the student to be allowed extended time to take their exam. This might include time for breaks, as well as more time to allow for processing of information and formulation of responses. Many students simply cannot process information at the same speed as their peers; this has nothing to do with their academic knowledge, which may be sound, so to disallow the opportunity to engage with the exam in a manner that suits them in terms of processing time would be highly disadvantageous.

I decided to set up a Blog (short for Web Log don’t you know!) to give those who are (possibly) interested in some of my views on autism and autism related topics. I am not representing SHU views (necessarily) – I am writing from my own experience and from sharing experiences individuals and families have shared with me. I am not a clinician, but do have decades of experience – personally and professionally – which I hope allows me to have some opinions that could be useful. If anyone wanted specific topics given an airing, do feel free to email me with suggestions: L.Beardon@shu.ac.uk