Too much information? Autism Awareness Week

World Autism Awareness Week

Saturday 2 – Friday 8 April

NAS TMI Poster A3 Scotland PRINT

As many as two-thirds of people with autism feel socially isolated, according to a new report. Research by charity The National Autistic Society Scotland has found poor public understanding of the condition is making some feel socially isolated and trapped in their own homes.

The National Autistic Society Scotland has published the findings of its research in their Too Much Information: why the public needs to understand autism better report.

NASS research found that 90% of families questioned said people stare at behaviour associated with their child’s autism, and almost three-quarters (73%) said people tut or make disapproving noises when they encounter such behaviour, while an overwhelming number of autistic people (85%) said they feel other people judge them as being strange.

The study shows that these attitudes can have a severely detrimental effect on people with autism and their families – almost half of those surveyed said they sometimes do not go out because they are worried about how people will react, and two-thirds said they feel socially isolated.

‘If these figures from our survey are extrapolated for the 58,000 autistic people across the nation, it would mean more than 38,000 autistic people in Scotland feel socially isolated.’

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. More than one in 100 people are autistic, including an estimated 58,000 people in Scotland.

Autistic people often find social situations difficult and struggle to filter out the sounds, smells, sights and information they experience, which means they feel overwhelmed when out in public. This can lead to a ‘meltdown’ and a loss of behavioural control that can result in kicking, screaming and crying, the charity said.

National autistic Society Scotland’s Too Much Information report (see below) was released ahead of World Autism Awareness Day today and the charity hopes the campaign will help to raise awareness and increase understanding of the condition.

Director Jenny Paterson said: “Two-thirds of autistic people told us they feel socially isolated, their worlds become smaller and smaller as they avoid the staring and tutting.

“But the majority of the public doesn’t set out to be unkind, people just don’t see autism – they see a ‘strange’ man pacing back and forth, or a ‘naughty’ girl having a tantrum. And they don’t give enough thought to the hurt a negative, judgmental reaction could cause.

“I will not accept a Scotland where autistic people and their families have to shut themselves away, and that’s why Too Much Information is such an important campaign. By increasing public understanding, we can build a kinder, more autism-friendly nation.”

NASS have produced a short video to support the campaign (see below). It shows an ordinary day at a shopping centre from the perspective of a wee boy with autism. As you’ll see, the experience is a lot to handle – hence the ‘Too Much Information’ tagline.

The National Autistic Society adds: “When this happens, the public can misunderstand what is happening and tut, stare or make hurtful remarks to the family, which makes the situation much worse, and, gradually stops autistic people and their families feeling that they can leave the house for fear of a ‘wall of judgement’ waiting for them outside their front door.”

That’s got to change.

https://youtu.be/Lr4_dOorquQ

http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi/film.aspx

Too Much Information Campaign_Report

TMI_Campaign_Report_FINAL_290316 (1)