Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Difficulties with social interaction, communication, and perception/imagination.

Autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways. Like all people, people with autism have their own strengths and weaknesses.

If you have autism it may affect:

• Your understanding about what others are thinking or feeling.

• Anxiety about social situations.

• Ability to make friends - you may prefer being on your own.

• The way other people see your behaviour, you may appear disinterested or blunt in manner.

• Your ability to say how you are feeling.

• How you understand sarcasm or humour, you may take things literally, and;

• Your anxiety if routines change, you may prefer having the same routine every day.

• NHS link: Autism, or Autism Spectrum Conditions

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Mainly affects attention, concentration, planning, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is now the official name. However, some people still use the term ADD if they do not experience symptoms of hyperactivity.

People’s experience of ADHD varies considerably.

Symptoms may include:

• Difficulty concentrating and attention to detail.

• Starting new tasks before finishing old ones.

• Difficulty with organisational skills.

• Difficulty focusing or prioritising.

• Continually losing or misplacing things.

• Forgetfulness.

• Hyperactivity.

• Impulsiveness - acting without thinking.

• Restlessness and edginess.

• Becoming easily irritated and/or impatient, and;

• Difficulty dealing with stress.

• NHS link: ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder

Dyscalculia

Affecting maths, reasoning, and calculation.

Dyscalculia is defined as ‘a condition that affects the ability to acquire maths skills. People with dyscalculia may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers, and have problems learning number facts and processes. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence.

People with dyscalculia may have trouble with basic aspects of number and arithmetic such as:

• Counting  - May be able to count in sequence but find it difficult when counting times tables.

• Calculations  – May have difficulty learning and recalling number facts. Also do not use rules or procedures to build on known fact, they may know that 2+5=7 but do not know that 5+2=7.

• Operations  – May have difficulty when handling money or telling the time.

• Orientation  – Can have difficulties with spatial awareness including left and right.

• NHS link: Dyscalculia

Dyslexia

Mainly affecting words, sounds, memory and sequencing.

• Dyslexia is one of a family of Specific Learning Difficulties.

• Many people who have dyslexia have strong visual, creative and problem-solving skills.

• Dyslexia is not linked to intelligence but can make learning difficult.

• Dyslexia is a life-long condition which may have a substantial effect on an individual’s daily activities. It is classed as a disability.

• Dyslexia varies from person to person and no two people will have the same set of strengths and difficulties.

• It often co-occurs with related conditions such as dyspraxia, dyscalculia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

• People with dyslexia often have difficulty processing and remembering information.

Most people with dyslexia have developed coping strategies; however, they often experience difficulties as a result of unnecessary barriers encountered in the workplace.

Dyslexia affects people in different ways. They are likely to have positive attributes and strengths in other areas.

Possible difficulties are usually present in the following areas:

• Reading hesitancy

• Misreading, making understanding difficult.

• Difficulty with sequences, for example getting dates in order.

• Poor organisation and time management

• Difficulty organising thoughts clearly, and;

• Erratic spelling.

• NHS link: Dyslexia

Dyspraxia 

Mainly affecting spatial awareness, motor skills and coordination.

Dyspraxia, also known as developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), is a common disorder that affects movement and co-ordination.

Dyspraxia does not affect your intelligence, but it can affect your co-ordination skills – such as tasks requiring balance, playing sports or learning to drive a car. Dyspraxia can also affect your fine motor skills, such as writing or using small objects.

Peoples experience of dyspraxia vary considerably.

If you have dyspraxia it may affect:

• Your co-ordination, balance, and movement

• How you learn new skills, think, and remember information at work and home

• Your ability to write, type, draw and grasp small objects.

• How you function in social situations

• How you deal with your emotions, and;

• Time management, planning and personal organisation skills.

• NHS link: Dyspraxia, or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)

Dysgraphia

Illegible handwriting is often associated with dysgraphia.

It's important to note that not everyone with messy penmanship necessarily has the disorder. Conversely, individuals with dysgraphia may still have neat handwriting, albeit requiring significant time and effort to achieve it.

• Incorrect spelling and capitalisation

• Mix of cursive and print letters

• Inappropriate sizing and spacing of letters

• Difficulty copying words

• Slow or laboured writing

• Difficulty visualising words before writing them

• Unusual body or hand position when writing

• Tight hold on pen or pencil resulting in hand cramps

• Watching your hand while you writing

• Saying words aloud while writing

• NHS link: Dysgraphia

Misophonia

Is characterised by intense and adverse emotional responses to sounds that often go unnoticed by most individuals, such as chewing or breathing. Exposure to these sounds can evoke feelings of chest pressure and other symptoms associated with anxiety.

• Eating sounds (loud chewing, smacking lips)

• Drinking sounds (gulping and slurping)

• Nose and throat sounds (loud breathing, sniffing, throat clearing)

• Environmental sounds (typing, pens clicking, muffled neighbour sounds, cutlery on plates)

• Speech patterns (certain consonants, like an S or a K sound, or repeated words like ‘um’)

• NHS link: Misophonia

Stammering

Usually becomes apparent while your child is still learning to speak, between the ages of 2 and 5.

As a child gets older and becomes more aware of their stammering, they may also change their behaviour in certain ways to hide their speech difficulties.

Stammering may develop gradually, although it often starts suddenly in a child who has previously been talking well.

Stammering can involve:

• Repeating certain sounds, syllables or words when speaking, such as saying "a-a-a-a-apple" instead of "apple"

• Prolonging certain sounds and not being able to move on to the next sound – for example, saying "mmmmmmmilk"

• lengthy pauses between certain sounds and words, which can seem as though a child is struggling to say the right word, phrase or sentence

• Using a lot of "filler" words during speech, such as "um" and "ah"

• Avoiding eye contact with other people while struggling with sounds or words

• NHS link: Stammering

Tourette's syndrome

Tics are the main symptom of Tourette's syndrome. They usually appear in childhood between the ages of 2 and 14 (around 6 years is the average).

People with Tourette's syndrome have a combination of physical and vocal tics.

Examples of physical tics include:

• blinking

• eye rolling

• grimacing

• shoulder shrugging

• jerking of the head or limbs

• jumping

• twirling

• touching objects and other people

Examples of vocal tics include:

• grunting

• throat clearing

• whistling

• coughing

• tongue clicking

• animal sounds

• saying random words and phrases

• repeating a sound, word or phrase

• swearing

• NHS link: Tourette’s syndrome