What does Autism affect?

Communication is complex, and the ability to understand and express it varies greatly from person to person, regardless of whether they are autistic or not.

It's important to remember that communication isn’t limited to speech; it includes body language, tone of voice, facial expressions, and even silence.

For autistic individuals, communication can present unique challenges. These may include:

• Difficulty interacting with others
• Challenges with non-verbal communication
• Struggles to maintain relationships—with peers, professionals, friends, or family
• Masking (hiding their natural responses to fit in socially)
• Difficulty processing environmental information
• Barriers to expressing themselves due to unmet needs

Parents and carers often notice situations in daily life where communication becomes particularly challenging. These may include:

• Understanding others’ emotions and intentions
• Misinterpreting social situations, especially as social demands increase during teenage years
• Difficulty interpreting body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, or the context of what is being said
• A literal interpretation of language—many autistic people prefer clear, direct communication and may not understand sarcasm, irony, or jokes

It's also important to recognise that communication challenges go both ways. Non-autistic individuals may struggle to interpret the behaviour, humour, or social cues of an autistic person.

Autistic individuals often find comfort in familiarity, routine, and repetition. Many parents and carers report that their child may appear rigid or inflexible in daily life, particularly when faced with change or unexpected situations. This is not a sign of defiance, but rather a reflection of how they process the world around them.

It’s also common for autistic individuals to hyper-focus on subjects or activities they are passionate about—sometimes for hours at a time. This intense focus can be a source of joy and fulfilment, but may also make transitions or shifting attention more difficult.

Some commonly reported traits and behaviours include:

• Struggling with new or unfamiliar situations, often leading to anxiety and distress
• Difficulty adapting to even small changes in routine, requiring them to re-learn how to cope or complete tasks
• Repeating speech sounds, words, or phrases (echolalia)
  Engaging in repetitive movements such as hand flapping or jumping (often called stimming)
• A strong attention to detail, sometimes missing the ‘bigger picture’
• Intense interests and a deep passion or focus on specific topics
• Masking or hiding their true emotions or state—especially in structured environments like school
• Challenges around understanding and expressing emotions

We constantly take in sensory information—what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, how we move, and how we feel internally. For autistic individuals, the way the central nervous system processes this input can be significantly different.

Some may be over-responsive to sensory input, while others may be under-responsive—and this can vary not only from person to person, but moment to moment depending on emotional state and environment. It’s complicated, and deeply individual.

Common sensory processing challenges include:

• Loud or high-pitched sounds feeling physically painful; background noise seeming overwhelmingly loud
• Strong smells being distressing or even making someone feel ill
• Physical touch being uncomfortable or even painful—or, conversely, a preference for deep pressure like firm hugs
• Difficulties with certain food textures or food items needing to be separated
• Frequent movement, bumping into objects, or spinning to seek sensory input

When overwhelmed by too much sensory information, a person may experience what is known as sensory overload, which can lead to shutdowns, meltdowns, or withdrawal.

While sensory processing is a complex area, our team draws on both professional experience and lived experience—as parents, carers, and autistic individuals ourselves. While we are not medical professionals, we can support you in understanding your child’s sensory profile and guide you with practical strategies. We can also help you access further support, including advice on how to seek an occupational therapy referral.