Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), usually called autism, is something you’re born with. Autism means that the way you think about and experience the world is different to most people. This means you can behave differently to most people, and have different strengths and difficulties. For example, some autism characteristics (things you think, feel and do) can make it hard to express yourself in social situations, but you may also be particularly knowledgeable and passionate about topics that interest you.

Read more about characteristics of autism here

Autism is highly variable – the word ‘spectrum’ refers to how autism is experienced differently by different people. Autism is considered a spectrum because it’s different for every autistic person – some autistic people might need more support than others to live the lives they want to lead. The way autism affects you can change as you grow and develop, and experience different environments.

Read more about support here

Talking about autism

Many people who have been diagnosed with autism prefer using the term ‘autistic’ to describe themselves – this is known as identity-first language (for example, “I’m autistic”). They consider autism to be part of their identity, not a condition to be treated.

For a long time people used the term ‘person on the autism spectrum’, known as person-first language (for example, “I’m on the autism spectrum”), and some people still prefer this.

In this guide, we’ll mostly use the term ‘autistic’.

If in doubt, you can always ask an autistic person what term they’d prefer.

In the past, autism was broken down into several different diagnoses, including:

• Asperger’s Syndrome
• autistic disorder
• Kanner’s Syndrome
• childhood autism
• atypical autism
• Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

Because these diagnoses all had the characteristics of autism, they were removed and replaced with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or autism for short. People also use the term ‘autism spectrum condition’ (ASC).

Learn more about autism from autistic people

How common is autism?

At least 1 in 100 people in Scotland are autistic. Currently, between 1 in 3 and 1 in 4 people diagnosed with autism are assigned female at birth (AFAB).

Read more about autism and gender

Autism is always present from birth, but it might not be recognised or diagnosed until adulthood. Early intervention, in the form of support for their individual needs, can be helpful for autistic children.

Even if you aren’t diagnosed until adulthood, getting a diagnosis can be very helpful for identifying your strengths and the things you struggle with, and finding support.