As a parent, you will be very attuned to your child’s development. But that does not always mean that signs of delay or developmental differences will be obvious to you. It is important to recognise that your child might not always show what is thought of as ‘classic’ signs that they are autistic. For example, sometimes parents might think “my child couldn’t be autistic” because their child is very sociable or makes eye contact. Autistic children learn to ‘mask’ , which means they are able to ‘perform’ behaviour that is deemed to be the social norm. It is important to take note of any slight changes or differences in your child, for example, your child may be conversational but may be delayed in their response or might repeat phrases from their favourite tv shows, movies or songs.  If your child has sensory challenges it might be observable in their emotions or anxiety levels in a busy place such as a shopping centre or how they feel about labels of their clothes or wearing certain fabrics for example. If your child has trouble getting to sleep and sleeping through the night, this may be a sign that they might be struggling and need help. There is nothing ‘wrong’ with any aspect of your child’s behaviour, even if they are engaging in behaviours that would not be thought of as ‘typical’ behaviours such as flapping or rocking. Your child’s behaviour serves a function for them and allows them to regulate their environment.

It is also important to remember that autism is genetic, which means that there are a great many undiagnosed autistic parents of autistic children. Sometimes these parents don’t see signs of their child’s autism because it is how they themselves interact, communicate and understand the world.

If you see signs that your child might be autistic, or you are concerned about your child’s development, it is a good idea to talk to somebody. Talking to your GP sooner rather than later will help you on the path to understanding and supporting your child best.

The most important thing to keep in mind with regards to “treatments” is that there should be no treatment which targets autism in general. Autism itself is not something that needs to be “treated.” However, your child may have specific challenges in different areas which they could use some help in. There are many approaches and forms of support which can help people with autism to manage their condition and fulfil their potential. These include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy.

Unfortunately, there are many ‘treatments’ for autism out there that are not evidence-based and can actually be detrimental to your child’s progression. It is very important that you choose supports or treatments that are credible and provided by credible, accredited professionals.

The first thing to do when you are looking at treatments for your child is to think what is the goal of this treatment? If you are looking to support for your child so that they will behave ‘not autistically’ or more typically then you should scrap this goal. Supporting your autistic child should be about embracing your child’s differences and uniqueness. The goal of seeking supports for your child should be about your child being happier, more engaged and embracing of their identity.

A good way to gage whether a treatment or support will have a positive effect on your child is by looking for feedback from the autistic community. Autistic adults are your best way of understanding the effects of a treatment or support and their past experience of that support is a great way of knowing what supports are ‘right’ or ‘safe’ for your child and which to avoid.  

Choosing a support or treatment that is evidence-based is very important, however it is also important to note that just because a treatment is ‘evidence-based’ does not mean that it will suit your child or that it is a good treatment. There are many treatments in the past that would have had a strong evidence base but today these treatments are dismissed. Keep critical of the treatments you are considering for your child. Ensure the person providing the support is fully qualified and accredited. Have a look and see if they are a member of accreditation groups such as the PSI (Psychological Society Ireland), the IACP (Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) or the IASLT (Irish Association for Speech and Language Therapists). Ask in advance of seeing any therapist if they have experience of working with autism and the kinds of strategies and models they use and follow.

Autism, like many other neurodivergent conditions, is an invisible disability which exists on a spectrum. As a result, autistic traits are not universal and are often specific to the person. Autistic adults can go without a diagnosis for years, often well into middle age. This is especially true of women on the spectrum who are prone to ‘masking’ their traits – that is to say, disguising them from their peers.

With the right supports, autistic people can live as independently as anyone else. It is important to stress that given autism’s nature as a spectrum, support needs are often fluid. One autistic adult may live independently but need supports for work. However, this may be the opposite for another.

With the right supports, autistic people can enter the working world.  Much like their neurotypical peers this depends on vocation, education and levels of training. Some will work for a few hours on a defined task whereas others may pursue full time work. For autism-specific supports there are organisations such as Specialisterne, AHEAD and Not So Different. These groups assist autistic people in developing the skills to enter the workplace. Additionally, workplaces have legal obligation to provide Reasonable Accommodations. These ensure employees with additional needs are supported their place of work.