What is autism and Asperger Syndrome?

Some examples of behaviour associated with the autistic spectrum; they would not necessarily all be seen in an individual.

‘Classic’ autism affects 4 to 5 people in 10,000 and four times as many boys as girls. It is found among all races, nationalities and social classes.

The degree to which people with autism are affected varies, but common characteristics are difficulty with social relationships, communication problems, difficulty in the development of play and imagination, and resistance to change.

Asperger Syndrome is a form of autism which occurs at the more able end of the range of autistic conditions. It involves the same core problems as autism. Difficulty in communicating feelings and reactions to others and failure to understand the non-verbal cues people use in social interaction lead to social isolation.

Asperger Syndrome is often not diagnosed until the teens or even adulthood but may be up to ten times more common as classic autism, affecting 58 people in 10,000.