10 things you need to know about Autistic Spectrum Disorders in children

1, Autism affects the ability and desire to connect with other people

2. Some children have difficulties alongside their autism, which may affect their education and their overall emotional and social development

3. Most children with autism look as ‘normal' as any other child though their behaviour and possibly their speech may make them seem different

4. Some children with autism are not diagnosed for a while, as the symptoms of autism are not always clear-cut

5. Autistic children can have serious communication difficulties and often this only becomes clear as they emerge from babyhood

6. Although there is no actual cure for autism, aspects of the condition can be managed in different ways

7. Interventions for children with autism range from communication-based approaches such as PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) to more traditional techniques

8. It's estimated that there are more than half a million people in the UK with autistic spectrum disorders

9. Boys are four times more likely than girls to develop an ASD

10. 21% of children with an autistic spectrum disorder have been excluded from school at least once

Autism Wales has produced videos about autism in children and young adolescents to offer practical hints and tips for parents and carers.

Free digital subscriptions to Autism Eye, a magazine packed with in-depth autism information and advice, are available from their website.