Today is Autism Awareness Day and p7b have been learning all about autism. We also dressed in blue to show our support for our fellow pupils who have autism.

What is Autism?

Callum: “Autism is a disorder which affects people with things like concentration, their senses, their eating habits and their communication.”

Isla: “It also affects their emotions and they sometimes can’t show their feelings. They don’t like change because they like to have a routine because it stops the world feeling out of sync.”

What have we learned about autism?

Nicky: “I’ve learned that there’s different types of autism and some are severe and some not.”

Taylor: “It mostly affects boys, boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism.”

Abbie: “I’ve learned that some autistic children like to be on their own and play rather than be in a group.”

Christopher A: “I’ve learned that every person with autism deals with it differently and has different ways of improving their confidence.”

Rebecca: “67 million people across the world are affected by autism.”

Sam: “I was interested to learn that everybody has a little bit of autism in them, just some are affected more than other.”

Fraser: “Scripting is when someone with autism repeats a phrase or word over and over to make them feel better.”

Sophie L: “Stimming is when someone with autism taps or fidgets repeatedly to make them feel more comfortable or in control.”

It is believed that all of us have a little bit of autism in us. We thought about this and would like to share:

Rabeea: “I need to have routines like having the same pencil with me and I take it everywhere I go.”

Sophie M: “My little bit of autism is OCD where I need certain things in certain places and if they aren’t there then it feels weird.”

Luke: “I don’t like anyone cutting up my food for me, it makes me feel like the food is bad and won’t taste nice.”

Callum: “My bit of autism is if anyone eats with the same fork or spoon as me I won’t use that fork or spoon again.”

Louise: “My bit of autism is getting distracted and losing concentration other very weird little things.”

Zenaib: “My little bit is that I need to have everything organised otherwise it feels weird and I feel worried.”

Alexander: “My little bit is repetitive behaviour. I like to repeatedly drum on the table or tap my foot otherwise I feel strange.”

Dean: “Mine is if food is touching other foods on a plate then I won’t eat them, they all need to be separate.”

Isla: “Mine is I have certain times when I do certain things in the morning otherwise it feels weird.”

Declan W: “I fiddle a lot and find it hard to sit still without listening to something otherwise I get grumpy and crabbit.”

Alistair: “Mine is personification of objects. If I choose something to eat (like with lunch trays) I feel the other choice will be sad for not getting picked.”

Jane: “My bit of autism is when I need to have everything super organised such as my room must be tidy and everything in its own place with my clothes set out for the next day.”