What is Autism?
Autism is a lifelong difference in the way people interact, think, move, sense and process the world. Autism is not a learning disability or a mental health issue, although they may co-occur.
Autism is often referred to as a spectrum which means that, while all Autistic people share certain characteristics, their differences will manifest in different ways.
Autism can sometimes present differently in girls and boys, and autistic girls may be quieter, and may be described as “shy” and “very well-behaved”. Girls are often more likely to “mask” or “camouflage” their differences or struggles, which can make autism harder to identify.
What are some possible experiences of Autism in younger children?
Inconsistent response to their name (sometimes described as appearing to be “in their own world”) Avoidance of, or inconsistent, eye contact may become distressed when in the presence of a certain taste, smell, texture, or sound repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, spinning, flicking their fingers or rocking their body may have strong preferences for repetitive routines or become highly focused on objects of interest, not talking as much as other children, repeating the same phrases
What are some possible experiences of Autism in older children?
- Appearing to struggle to understand thoughts/ feelings of others
- Finding it hard to identify and express how they feel preferring a predictable daily routine and getting very distressed if it changes
- Having a very keen intense interest in certain subjects or activities
- Finding it hard to make friends (and/or to keep friends) or preferring to be on their own
- Literal thinking
- Differences in communication style that may lead to misunderstandings with others
- A sense of not “fitting in” with societal expectations and norms
- Heightened sensitivity to the environment that may lead to ‘meltdowns’ and/or ‘shutdowns’
What are some strengths Autistic children and young people can have?
Ability to think concretely
Attention to detail / observational skills
Honesty and straightforwardness
Integrity
Loyalty in friendships
Strong sense of justice
Thinking outside the box / innovative solutions
Deep focus
Heightened pattern recognition abilities
Here at The Retreat Clinics, we can support your child and your family to make sense of an Autism diagnosis, from assessments to therapeutic support. Our assessment and therapy services are available at our clinic in York and online.
What can we help with?
Diagnostic Assessment Service for Children
We provide private and NHS funded diagnostic assessments of Autism for children and young people aged 3 to 17.
Specialist Therapy for Children
We offer bespoke therapeutic support to help you and your child make sense of Autism. We also offer specialist therapy including sensory integration and speech & language therapy.
Sendco Education Consultation Service
We provide compassionate, child-centred guidance to families and schools, particularly for children facing challenges such as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). This service places the child’s well-being at its heart, offering tailored advice within an empathetic, non-judgemental framework. It recognises the constraints within the education system while striving to empower families, schools, and children to achieve meaningful, positive change for children who have had or who may have therapeutic support from The Retreat.
Post Diagnostic Support
Autism diagnosis is just the beginning—our post-diagnostic support helps guide the journey ahead.
Please get in touch using the form below to find out more about how we can help.