Che cos'è l'autismo?

Non c'è un'unica esperienza di autismo.

The clearest definition is that autism. Clinically referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – Autism is a different way of thinking, a neurological developmental difference that changes the way you relate to the environment and people around you.

Autism influences the way that you see, experience and understand the world.

The ‘spectrum’ of autism

You might have heard people referring to autism as a ‘spectrum’. This is used to emphasise that there is an infinite number of ways that autism can be experienced.

While people on the autism spectrum share a range of similar characteristics, there are an equal number of differences between individuals, so the experience of autism varies greatly from person to person.

Dr Stephen Shore, professore autistico di educazione speciale alla Adelphi University, New York, ha detto che è meglio quando ha detto:

"Se hai incontrato una persona con autismo, hai incontrato una persona con autismo."

The support needs of autistic individuals can range vastly from person to person. Some individuals may want or need ongoing support in daily living, community participation, communication, while other individuals may desire little or no support in these or other areas.

While every individual has strengths and challenges, some of the key strengths of autistic people can include:

• orientata ai dettagli;
• individuare le irregolarità;
• essere un pensatore logico;
• absorb and retain facts;
• tenacity and resilience;
• visual learners;
• in-depth knowledge in specific areas;
• honest, loyal and committed;
• maintaining high focus on a task; and
• vedere le cose da una prospettiva diversa.

It is important to remember that these are generalised strengths, and that many autistic individuals do not have a strength in these areas and may in fact find some of these areas challenging.

Many autistic individuals can find enjoyment in routine and predictability, or engaging in a particular passion, activity or hobby. This can mean that people on the spectrum may be highly successful in their chosen careers or hobbies, especially when they follow their passions.

Just like there are some common strengths associated with the autism spectrum, there are a range of some common challenges that people on the autism spectrum may face. Some of these challenges can include:

• communicating wants, and needs;
• social interaction and interpreting other people’s behaviour or feeling that others do not understand their behaviours;
• processing sensory input;
• elaborazione delle informazioni cognitive.

Autistic people may develop skills in a way that is different from those that are not autistic. This can include the order in which skills are developed, the extent to which skills develop, and how skills develop. Skill development again, will vary significantly from individual to individual.

What are the characteristics of autism?

The characteristics of autism can vary widely in nature and presentation from person to person, and can also develop, and change over time.

Age, and cognitive ability can also influence how the characteristics of autism present themselves in different people, which is something that should also be considered.

While much of the diagnostic process is related to behavioural attributes, it can be difficult to diagnose autism until they are between 18-20 months. For some, autism characteristics may not become apparent until school years, or adult years when demands exceeds capacity.

In recent years, autistic adults have reported feeling misunderstood and have reported that obtaining a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder is helpful in validating their experience of the world, helping them to find like minded people and support developing their self-identity. Many autistic adults report getting diagnosed as an adult helps to facilitate self-understanding and self-kindness.

Tuttavia, se vi sentite come se voi, il vostro bambino, o qualcuno che amate è sullo spettro dell'autismo, potreste voler avviare il processo diagnostico.

As autism is a varied spectrum of characteristics it can be difficult to identify if a person is autistic. To help you better understand the characteristics here is a summary of what to look out for, according to the latest diagnostic guidelines, the DSM-5.

Segnali nel periodo di sviluppo

• In order to be diagnosed as autistic, characteristics must have been present in the early developmental period of a person’s life. It can be difficult to pick up on characteristics of autism for many parents, as raising a child in something that is very new to most people. For parents that already have a child diagnosed, they may be more aware of the early charateristics of autism so they pick up on these earlier.Or for other parents that have an older child that is not autistic, they also may pick up on the early characteristics of autism earlier as their children are developing differently. See our characteristics of autism in children checklist page for more information.
• For many adults, they many only become aware of the characteristics of autism in relation to their own behaviours later in life. When they then think back over their life they may start to identify how autism may have impacted their life at different moments such as realising that others seemed to know what others were thinking when they found it difficult to read people’s emotions. Many autistic adults have learnt strategies to support them throughout their lifetime. It is therefore important to think about what characteristics were present at a young age when seeking a diagnosis as an adult. See our characteristics of autism in adults checklist page for more information.

To be diagnosed as autistic an individual does not need to experience challenges in all areas but rather must meet a specific combination of criteria across two domains. It is important to keep in mind that this is just a short summary, and that only trained, accredited professionals can make a formal autism diagnosis.

Settore A: Comunicazione sociale e interazione sociale

Differenze o sfide relative alla comunicazione linguistica e sociale e all'interazione sociale in molteplici contesti, sia attualmente che storicamente. Queste includono difficoltà o differenze:

• Comunicazione sociale-emotiva e scambi personali.
• Comportamenti comunicativi non verbali utilizzati per l'interazione sociale.
• Sviluppare, mantenere e comprendere le relazioni.

Settore B: Comportamenti, interessi o attività ripetitivi o limitati

Modelli di comportamento, interessi o attività limitati e ripetitivi in almeno due delle seguenti situazioni:

• Movimenti motori ripetitivi, uso di oggetti o discorso.
• Insistence on things being the same, strong preference for routine, or ritualised patterns of verbal or non-verbal behaviour.
• Engage in passions, activities or hobbies with a great focus and which can bring intense enjoyment; and
• Unexpected reactions, to sensory input, or an unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment.

Impact of autism on daily life

For some people autism can impact all areas of life significantly, while for others it can impact certain aspects of life to a lesser degree. Because of this, autism is referred to as a “spectrum” and diagnosed based on both characteristics and the impact that these differences may have on a person’s life over time.

If the characteristics shown by a person are causing significant challenges in social, personal, family, occupational or other important areas of a person’s life then it is likely that the person will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

If the characteristics are not having a negative impact on a person’s life or relationships, and they are able to engage in all social and interpersonal settings, it’s unlikely that autism will be diagnosed.

No single behaviour confirms or rules out an autism diagnosis. The most important factor is the pattern of behaviours across these areas. These behaviours and difficulties usually appear early in a child’s development.  

Autistic people can show a wide range of behaviours and abilities. At the time of assessment, a “level” of support is assigned (Level 1, 2, or 3). This is meant to show how much support a person might need to keep regulated, calm, and happy, and refers to where the support originates.  

• Level 1- support refers to ‘Support being required’. These supports generally come from the individual themselves. They may have a very individual approach to social communication or sensory inputs and benefit from external supports in specific areas.    
• Level 2 -support refers to ‘High and Sustained Support’, and this might sometimes come from external sources, and sometimes from the individual themselves. 
• Level 3 -support is ‘Very High and Sustained Support’. Support is required all the time, and most of the support comes external from the individual (e.g. from parents, carers or support workers).  

However, this isn’t always accurate as support needs change depending on the environment, the activity, energy levels, who you’re with, and what else is going on in life. Support needs also change over time as the person grows, learns new skills, or faces new challenges. As such, a fixed level doesn’t always reflect the level of support accurately and only indicates how much support is needed at the time of assessment.

While Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) are no longer diagnosed as a separate disorder under the current diagnostic criteria (DSM-5), a person with a pre-existing diagnosis under the previous diagnostic criteria (DSM 4) can continue to use their pre-existing diagnosis.

Cos'è la sindrome di Asperger?

In 1994 Asperger’s Syndrome appeared as a separate presentation of a pervasive developmental disorder in standard diagnostic manuals.

Le caratteristiche chiave della sindrome di Asperger identificate all'epoca erano:

• Difficoltà di interazione sociale e comunicazione sociale
• Comportamenti limitati e ripetitivi
• Nessuna disabilità intellettuale
• Nessun ritardo nello sviluppo del linguaggio verbale

Nel maggio 2013, i criteri diagnostici per l'autismo sono cambiati con la pubblicazione dell'ultimo manuale diagnostico (il DSM 5).

Since then “Autistic Disorder” and “Asperger’s syndrome” are no longer differentiated as separate presentation of pervasive developmental disorders, but are now included under the single diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or referred to as autism.

Autoidentità e autostima positiva

Autistic people can have strengths, skills and passions and often achieve great things, for themselves, their community and our world.

For some people an autism diagnosis can enhance their self-identity and further develop their awareness of their strengths and different way of experiencing the world – autism becomes a positive part of their identity.

Many successful people in our community are autistic, some significant discoveries, developments and achievements have been made by autistic people, and without this neurodiversity in our society we certainly would not have achieved some of our greatest leaps in understanding about our culture, societies, communities and our world.

Il movimento della neurodiversità

Neurodiversity was first coined in the mid-1900s by the Australian Sociologist, Judy Singer who recognised that “neurologically diverse (people) needed a movement of their own”, and that voicing “differences in neurology should be recognised and respected.”

The neurodiversity movement is a social and advocacy initiative that recognises and values this, based on the preference that neurological differences as natural variations in the human brain. Originating from the autistic rights movement, it now encompasses a range of neurological differences such as ADHD, dyslexia, and Tourette’s Syndrome. This movement is celebrated and important for several reasons.

The movement acknowledges neurological diversity as an essential and natural aspect of human diversity, similar to gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. The movement challenges the traditional view that treats neurological differences as disorders or deficiencies, the movement promotes a more accepting approach which is why it is so celebrated.

The movement also advocates for inclusivity and acceptance in society, urging changes in education, employment, and social policies to cater to diverse neurological needs to benefit all.

The movement empowers neurodivergent individuals, encouraging self-determination and the right to advocate for oneself and highlights the unique strengths and abilities of neurodivergent individuals, instead of focusing solely on challenges and limitations.

With its introduction and gaining of momentum, the neurodiversity movement’s significance in Australia and globally lies in its ability to foster a more inclusive society that respects and supports all forms of human variation, enabling individuals with neurological differences to live respected and fulfilling lives.

Qual è la prevalenza dell'autismo?

L'esatta prevalenza dell'autismo in Australia e a livello internazionale è sconosciuta.

However, international prevalence research indicates that around 1% of the international population have an autism diagnosis of sorts. While some countries report higher rates, such as the USA (around 1:45), other countries report much lower prevalence rates.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2022 Disability, Aging and Carers, Australian: Summary of Findings shows that:

• the number of Australian diagnosed as autistic has increased over the past decade, from 164,00 in 2015, 205,200 in 2018 and 290,900 in 2022
• around nine out of ten people diagnosed as autistic are under the age of 25.
• 1 out of 2.2 Australian diagnosed as on the autism spectrum are female
• Around 73% of Autistic people had a profound or severe disability.  

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is due to release more updated data on the autism prevalence in Australia in mid 2024.

Mentre la prevalenza riportata dell'autismo varia in tutto il mondo, c'è stato un chiaro aumento del numero di persone diagnosticate sullo spettro dell'autismo negli ultimi anni, ma questo non necessariamente suggerisce che ci sono più persone autistiche nel mondo rispetto a dieci o venti anni fa.

Le prove suggeriscono che l'aumento è il risultato di una serie di fattori culturali e clinici, comprese le influenze sociali che determinano una maggiore consapevolezza dell'autismo, e di migliori procedure diagnostiche e cambiamenti nei criteri diagnostici che consentono a più persone di accedere a una diagnosi.

According to Professor Whitehouse, from Australia’s Autism CRC, research shows the majority of the increase in autism prevalence over this period was due to an increase in diagnosing children with less complex behaviours.

"Ora riconosciamo che la condizione si presenta lungo uno spettro. È fondamentale che siamo tutti consapevoli dell'intera gamma di presentazioni, così come dei considerevoli punti di forza che gli individui nello spettro portano alla nostra comunità", ha detto il Professor Whitehouse.

Autismo in australia

Autism is a neurological difference, a different way of thinking. The word ‘spectrum’ reflects the diversity of autistic people and how characteristics present. There is not one single cause of autism. The following is an overview of autism in Australia at the time of publication.

Sources:
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022). Disability, Ageing, and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings. [https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/autism-australia-2022.]
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018). Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings [https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latestrelease#
autism-in-australia]
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015). Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of
Findings, 2015 [https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/4430.0Main%20
Features762015?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4430.0&issue=2015&num=&view=]
• Clark, T., Jung, J. Y., Roberts, J., Robinson, A., & Howlin, P. (2023). The identification of exceptional skills in school age autistic children: Prevalence, misconceptions and the alignment of informant perspectives. Journal of Applied
Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 36(5), 1034–1045. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13113
• Whitehouse AJO, Evans K, Eapen V, Wray J. A national guideline for the assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in Australia. Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, Brisbane, 2018.

Qual è la storia dell'autismo?

The understanding of autism has developed over a number of decades. While the term ‘autism’ was defined by Kanner, there is varying evidence that other professionals, including Grunya Efimovna Sukhareva and Paul Bleuler, had recognised the unique presentation of characteristics much earlier than this. Since the 1940’s the diagnostic criteria has evolved and shifted as we learn more but now autism is widely understood as a spectrum of conditions with wide-ranging degrees of presentation.

1943

Leo Kanner, psichiatra infantile della Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine di Baltimora, MD, USA, ha scritto un articolo fondamentale in cui descrive 11 bambini nella sua clinica senza l'istinto sociale di orientarsi verso altre persone. Ha descritto questi bambini come maggiormente focalizzati, o addirittura ossessionati dagli oggetti, dal bisogno di identità e da una "resistenza al cambiamento inaspettato". Per dare un nome a questa nuova condizione psichiatrica, Kanner ha coniato il termine "autismo infantile". La parola autismo deriva dalla parola greca "auto", che significa "io".

1944

A year later, Hans Asperger, a paediatrician at the University of Vienna in Austria wrote an article about children he had observed who shared similar characteristics of those in Kanner’s clinic but on a wider spectrum.

However, it has been suggested that Asperger and colleagues in Vienna had in fact been analysing and describing autism since the 1930s and that colleagues of Asperger actually played a key role in Kanner’s work in the 1940s.

Part of Asperger’s approach was to create a school that was centred around these children’s cognitive strengths rather than any perceived difficulties they faced.

What was notable was the diversity of the characteristics displayed by the children in Asperger’s clinic – an aspect of autism about which we have begun to have a greater understanding in recent years.

As Asperger’s research work was undertaken during the years in which Austria was under control of Nazis, his article was not translated into English for nearly forty years. So that, his findings did not become widely accessible until 1981.

1981

Lorna Wing, psichiatra infantile dell'Institute of Psychiatry di Londra, ha pubblicato (per la prima volta in inglese) un articolo che fa riferimento all'autismo come un continuum che include la sindrome di Asperger, in riconoscimento del lavoro di Hans Asperger.

1989

La sindrome di Asperger è stata diagnosticata per la prima volta nei bambini del South Australia da Autism SA.

1994

Il disturbo dell'Asperger è stato incluso per la prima volta nel DSM-4 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4a edizione) pubblicato dall'American Psychiatric Association (APA). Altre diagnosi sotto l'ombrello del Disturbo Pervasivo dello Sviluppo includono Disturbo Autistico, PDD-NOS, Disturbo Disintegrativo Infantile e Disturbo di Asperger.

1996

Lorna Wing coined the phrase Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to describe a range of neurodevelopmental differences, including autism and Asperger syndrome. Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder needed to have met criteria for difficulties in communication, social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, interests or activities. A complete diagnosis relied on these characteristics being experienced from early childhood and at a level which limited or impacted daily living.

2013

Il rilascio dell'aggiornamento DSM-5 manual redefined the Autism Spectrum Disorder to encompass the previous diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). The new definition no longer includes communication as a separate criterion but incorporates it in the other two domains. Diagnosis is made on the person meeting the required criteria in two areas: social communication and social interaction, and restricted and repetitive behaviour. If a person has been diagnosed previously with Asperger syndrome, this generally is maintained.

Cosa causa l'autismo?

A significant amount of research into the causes of autism has been undertaken since the diagnosis was first defined. Autism is highly heterogeneous meaning it is more accurate to think of autisms rather than a single condition, as there are many presentations and multiple contributing factors. While the causes of autism are varied, the strongest contributions come from genetic differences. The bulk of available evidence shows that autism begins prenatally, with early differences in brain development—meaning autistic people are born autistic. 

Emerging research also suggests that an individual’s support needs, and the way their autism presents, can change across their lifetime. Factors such as IQ, adaptive functioning, environment, lived experiences, and access to appropriate supports can all influence how a person’s strengths and challenges are expressed over time. 

Genetica

Autism is a polygenic condition, meaning that many different genetic alterations can contribute to a diagnosis. The MIND Institute (2025) reports that the heritability of autism is estimated to be around 83%, indicating that genetic factors explain most of the likelihood of developing autism, while shared environmental factors contribute minimally. 

Genetic variations associated with autism can include: 

• Rare genetic variants with strong effect 

• Rare genetic variants with moderate effect 

• Common genetic variants 

• Environmental risk factors 

While common genetic variations are believed to account for the largest proportion of autism likelihood (approximately 49%), de novo genetic variations—new changes that are not inherited from parents—are associated with a smaller percentage of cases (around 3%) but can contribute to more profound or complex presentations of autism. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25038753/) 

Research into family genetics and the prevalence of autism has supported this finding. Research has shown that if there is one person in the family diagnosed as autistic, it can increase the likelihood that others in the family will also be on the autism spectrum, at the following rates:

• Zie, zii, cugini (2-3%)
• Fratelli e gemelli non identici (10%)
• Gemelli identici 80% se ne viene diagnosticata una.

For some groups of autistic individuals, it appears that the genes are passed on from a parent directly, for others, genes from both parents are combined, meaning that they are likely to cause neurological differences resulting in autism, while for other individuals there may be genetic differences that have not been passed on, but have arisen during fetal development.

For a number of autistic people there are clear genetic variations that have shown to be the cause of their neurological difference, while for many other people diagnosed there appears to be no significant genetic differences.

Ultimately this means that while genetics seems to be the clear cause for some types of autism, either through de novo or genetic variations, at this stage they do not explain the cause of everyone’s autism.

Altri possibili fattori che contribuiscono attualmente in fase di ricerca a causa della loro capacità di influenzare lo sviluppo neurologico sono:

• Increased Extra Axia Fluid
• White matter development 
  
• Altered production and/or circulation of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) 
• Riduzione del peso alla nascita e nascita prematura
• Advanced paternal age at time of conception

Research has identified that every individual on the autism spectrum has different neurology to each other, further supporting the notion that autism is a spectrum of conditions. While there have been a range of research studies into these areas, more research is needed.

There has been significant research into what does not cause autism. It is clear that autism is not caused by vaccines, bad parenting or the food we eat.

I fatti sull'autismo e le comuni idee sbagliate

Stai scoprendo che la famiglia e gli amici, i commentatori dei media, anche alcuni professionisti della salute ti stanno rendendo più preoccupati e confusi per l'autismo tuo o di tuo figlio o per il sospetto autismo?

La disinformazione e i messaggi misti possono portare a sensi di colpa e isolamento e possono funzionare contro una diagnosi proattiva e un programma di supporto. Anche se la comprensione globale dell'autismo è in continua evoluzione, ecco alcuni dei fatti comunemente compresi, per aiutarvi a mettere a letto alcune di queste idee sbagliate sull'autismo.

Quali sono le cause dell'autismo?

It’s natural to want to know what causes autism, however it is likely that there is not one single cause. While genetic differences are known to cause some types of autism (84%), the causes of autism are largely unknown.

We do know that autism is a neurobiological difference, meaning that the brain processes information differently for autistic people, than it does for people who are not autistic.

Sappiamo anche che gli stili genitoriali non inducono un bambino a sviluppare l'autismo.

L'autismo non è causato da vaccinazioni durante o prima della gravidanza, e il legame falsamente riportato tra l'immunizzazione contro il morbillo-parotite-raubella (MMR) e l'autismo è stato ritirato dall'articolo in cui è stato pubblicato e completamente screditato dalla comunità scientifica e medica.

Per maggiori informazioni sugli studi in corso sulle cause dell'autismo, visita la nostra sezione "Cosa causa l'autismo".

Come viene diagnosticato l'autismo?

Fortunately, the way autism is assessed has changed and improved over the last 80 years.

We now recognise a wider range of characteristics as forming part of the autism spectrum.

As awareness increases, parents and professionals are getting better at identifying early characteristics of autism and are more likely to seek an autism assessment.

This contributes to the explanation as to why people think autism is more prevalent today than it was ten or twenty years ago.

Per ulteriori informazioni sulla diagnosi vai alla nostra pagina Come ottenere una diagnosi di autismo.

Do autistic people all look and act the same?

Autistic people are part of the diversity that is humanity, where no-one person is the same as another.

Una ricerca completata già negli anni '40 ha rivelato che l'autismo è uno spettro di comportamenti e competenze.

Per maggiori informazioni sui comportamenti relativi all'autismo, visita la nostra pagina dei segni e delle caratteristiche.

Are autistic people physically or intellectually disabled?

Autistic people do not look different to other people and are usually physically healthy.

Autism is not an intellectual disability although some autistic people may also be diagnosed with an intellectual disability.

Do autistic people communicate?

Everyone communicates. Many autistic people communicate using speech. For some people the way speech sounds may be unique including using a mono tone, very formal language for the context in which it is used or use an accent. For others, verbal speech might be delayed or many not develop.  It is important to develop ways that a person can communicate their needs to those around them.

Alcune persone usano sistemi di comunicazione alternativi come il linguaggio dei segni, sistemi di scambio di immagini o tecnologie di assistenza per comunicare con chi li circonda.

Do autistic people have emotions?

Autistic people feel the same emotions as their parents, family or friends. People on the autism spectrum may express and feel emotions in a way that is different to people that are not autistic. They may have difficulties in expressing their emotions in a way that non-autistic people understand or recognise- this can cause frustration.

Some autistic people may shout or hit out when distressed but this is usually a reaction or last resort when there is a difficulty in communicating.

It is common for autistic people to have difficulty recognising and interpreting the emotions of others- know as alexithymia-, but many individuals develop strong bonds with important people in their lives such as parents and siblings like everyone else.

For some people, common means of showing affection can be more difficult, such as maintaining eye gaze and physical contact.

Per maggiori informazioni sui comportamenti relativi all'autismo, visita la nostra pagina dei segni e delle caratteristiche.

Do autistic people make friends?

Most autistic people often do want to have friends, but have difficulty engaging socially with others or knowing how to recognise and respond to the intentions and emotions of others, particularly towards non-autistic people. This is known as the double empathy theory.

Understanding how people interact and engage with others is complex and is generally required to form friendships. Many autistic people report that they find this difficult to understand and navigate and often seek supports and services to support their ability to make and maintain relationships, including romantic relationships, relationships at work and social relationship. Planned activities around shared interests are often the key to supporting the development and maintenance of friendships.

Per maggiori informazioni sui comportamenti relativi all'autismo, visita la nostra pagina dei segni e delle caratteristiche.

L'autismo può essere curato?

L'autismo non può essere "curato" più del colore degli occhi, del tono di voce, della tua altezza o della forma dei tuoi piedi.

Early diagnosis and support can help individuals to develop skills necessary for a full, productive and satisfying life.

People who say they or their children were ‘cured’ may have been particularly successful in acquiring skills which enable them to become more effective through their everyday life.

Many people who have a diagnosis of autism are concerned about the concept of “curing” autism, as they feel it is their autism that makes them, them. Many people contribute their successes to being able to think in a totally different way.

Questa percezione celebrativa dell'autismo guidata dalle persone sullo spettro dell'autismo è chiamata movimento della neurodiversità.

Affrontare il tema dell'autismo

With an increased awareness of autism in our society you may start to recognise the characteristics of people you know or love as “on the spectrum” or “autistic”.

While it’s exciting that people are becoming more aware of the full spectrum of autism, it’s important for people to also be sensitive about the language they use surrounding it, and when approaching autistic people.

Prima di sollevare il tema dell'autismo con una persona che può essere autistica (o le loro famiglie), è importante considerare quanto segue:

• Perché credi che sia importante sollevare l'argomento con una persona?
• Quali sono i potenziali risultati positivi, come il sostegno e la comprensione, o il miglioramento della consapevolezza di sé e dell'identità?
• What are the potential negatives e.g. denial, confusion.
• Potrebbe essere necessario essere pronti ad accettare una risposta negativa e ad essere di sostegno e non giudicante.
• Chi potrebbe essere la persona migliore per sollevare l'argomento - per esempio, potrebbe essere meglio se proveniente da un membro della famiglia o da un amico fidato.
• Che tono userai? Certamente, dovrai essere rispettoso e sensibile.
• Evitare di dare consigli specifici
• Scopri i servizi di supporto che potrebbero essere utili prima di avere la conversazione.
• Remember that you are NOT likely to be in a position to diagnose, unless you are trained to do so. You can raise the topic and suggest the person or family member seeks more information on autism from a recognised and qualified professional.

Per maggiori informazioni sullo spettro dell'autismo, vedi la nostra pagina dei segni e delle caratteristiche.