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Understanding Autism: A Teen's Guide to Empathy and Awareness

  • lolasquires7
  • May 6
  • 3 min read

Updated: May 7

Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition, meaning  it affects the development of the brain and nervous system. Researchers are not sure what causes autism, but they believe genetic and environmental factors play a role. Autism is a complex condition with a wide variety of affects, some of which are-

  • Finding social interactions hard to navigate

  • Difficulty understanding others perspective

  • Finding things such as bright lights, loud noise, or unfamiliar foods stressful, overwhelming or uncomfortable

  • Excessive stimming* 

  • Hyper fixation* 

  • Becoming anxious about unfamiliar situations and/or social events

  • Sensory overload/overstimulation*

  • The need for a plan, and strongly wanting to follow it 

  • Needing more time than the average person to understand information

  • Doing or thinking the same thing on repeat

    • Eg, eating the same meal everyday, or repeating the same phrase over and over


Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience a range of challenges, including emotional issues, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances; social related difficulties, including social withdrawal; and behavioral concerns like aggression, hyperactivity, and problems with paying attention.


There is a lot of stigma surrounding autism, and being bullied because of it is very common, in fact, around 60% of young adults with autism experience bullying. This can decrease a person's value of life by a lot, and in some cases, can permanently affect someone's way of viewing things. It's important to realise that autism is a spectrum, and a wide one at that, there are so many factors to autism and people with it experience all kinds of symptoms, so it's not fair to assume that what one person experiences, is the same as another.


You may have heard people say that autism is a super power, and here's why. There are many positives to ASD, such as;

  •  Creativity and Original Thinking

    • Unique problem-solving approaches or ways of seeing the world.

    • Common in art, music, storytelling, and design

  • Passion and deep knowledge about certain topics

    • Hyper Fixations often lead to expert-level knowledge.

  • Loyalty and Reliability

    • Strong commitment to people, causes, or routines.

    • Once trust is formed, relationships can be deep and lasting.

  • Outstanding memory 

    • Especially for facts, figures, patterns, or specific interests.

    • Some autistic people remember details others easily forget

  • Strong Sense of Justice

    • Deep concern for fairness, rules, and ethics.

    • May lead to passionate advocacy or principled behavior


ASD does not have a cure but there are many options for treatments, such as;

  • Individualised education plan

  • Classroom Accommodations

    • These depend on the student’s needs but can include;

    • Preferential seating (e.g., near the front or away from distractions)

    • Visual schedules and clear instructions

    • Extra time on assignments

    • Sensory tools (e.g., fidget items, quiet corners)

    • Allowing movement breaks

  •  Emotional and Behavioral Support

    • Strategies to help with emotional regulation, frustration, or meltdowns.

    • May include calm-down areas, behavior plans, or regular check-ins with a counselor or aide

  • Social Skills Support

    • Small group or one-on-one support to learn social cues, conversation rules, and friendship-building

There are many ways that struggles due to autism can be helped, but at the end of the day there is no cure. Overall,  Autism is a disorder with many layers and many varieties, some of which could be considered positive, and some negative, and it's important to take all of these into account. 


Eye-level view of a colorful art piece that represents diversity and inclusion
A vibrant depiction of diversity and inclusion, symbolizing community and support.


Glossary

Stimming-  

stims are repetitive movements, sounds, or actions that people use to regulate their senses, thoughts or emotions, an example of this is shaking your leg repetitively, sometimes without realising it. Stimming is a normal thing that everyone does, but people with autism are found to stim a lot more than the average person. 


Sensory overload/overstimulation-

A state of being overwhelmed by sensory input (light, sound, or taste are common examples) leading to stress and difficulty processing information.


Hyper fixation-

an intense and persistent focus on a particular subject or activity, often to the exclusion of other tasks and interests


Bibliography-

 
 
 

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