On the eve of National Autism Awareness Day Professor Uta Frith presented an Horizon documentary: Living with Autism. In the programme she aims to unravel the mystery of autism – a condition which affects half a million people in Britain.
Professor Frith describes how she first met autistic children while training to be a clinical psychologist. She found they would repeat a question and not respond to it – she couldn’t engage them in conversation. It was in the 1960s when children were first given a diagnosis. It is 70 years since it was given a name but we still know very little about it.
What we do know now is that Autism is described along a spectrum spanning from mild to severe and is a life long brain abnormality. People with autism typically have difficulty in communicating with others.
On the flip side people with autism can have remarkable gifts and are known as Savants These are people with autism who have outstanding talents which are at odds with the rest of their abilities.
She introduces us to Kenny – a 15-year-old boy who was diagnosed when he was 8-years old. He has a special gift for arithmetic known as calendrical calculation. When given a date, past or future, he can tell you what day of the week it falls on. And he can work out the answer in a second. He has an excellent memory which is a common feature of autism. But he has language difficulties.
Kenny says: “I see things in a different way than my peers do. I express my thoughts and opinions and some of them don’t understand.”
Professor Frith digs deeper to try to explain how the autistic mind works. She carries out an experiment where she asks people to study a large, extremely detailed picture and spot the character Wally. The person who didn’t have autism struggled to find him but three people with autism were able to find Wally after only a couple of seconds.
She says: “Autistic people see the details that escape the rest of us but they will often miss the bigger picture. For example an autistic person will be upset when an ornament in the house has been moved a fraction.”
Jules, who has Aspergers syndrome, a form of autism, struggles with social interactions. He uses acting to help him cope with the social world and learn about social interaction in a relaxed and fun way. He says: “People don’t understand how hard it is. They expect me to be able to get on with life really easily. It is hard to make an effort and be engaging with people.”
Professor Frith comes to the conclusion that a person with autism is “someone who dances to a different tune”. She says it is the social navigation system that sets them apart from the rest of us. They struggle to understand others’ belief’s wishes and intentions and therefore confines them to a world which is sometimes difficult to understand.
To watch the programme go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b0404861/
Rachel Harrison, Speech and Language Therapist.
Written on behalf of Integrated Treatment Services.
April 2014
