Background

What is autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ICD-11: 6A02) is a neurodevelopmental difference. It is characterised by persistent challenges in reciprocal social interaction and communication, as well as restricted, repetitive and inflexible patterns of behaviour, interests or activities.

Child’s hands holding a bunch of colourful wax crayons

One spectrum – many expressions

Autism looks very different from person to person. People on the spectrum differ, among other things, in:

their intellectual development
their functional language
their sensory processing
their individual support needs

Autism can occur with or without intellectual disability and with very different levels of functional language – from unrestricted speech to the absence of functional spoken language.

Core areas

1 Differences in social communication and interaction
2 Difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communication
3 Challenges in building and maintaining social relationships
4 Repetitive behaviours, intense special interests and fixed routines
5 Altered or more intense sensory perception

Co-occurring conditions

Many children and young people on the autism spectrum have additional conditions – such as intellectual, physical or sensory disabilities, ADHD, learning or language disorders, anxiety or sleep problems. We take these into account from the very beginning in our individual, holistic support.

Small child on a swing in a park, seen from behind

Neurodiversity & attitude

Building on strengths, not conformity

Neurodiversity understands autistic ways of processing as a natural variation of human information processing. Our work focuses on strengths, supports where there are barriers and promotes self-determination rather than mere adaptation.

Let's talk about your child.

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