PARENTS and carers of children with autism can gain some rare insight and practical advice at a special session at Sunshine library on May 5.
Author and artist Donna Williams, who grew up in the 1960s thinking she had childhood psychosis, will speak about her experience with autism.
Autism Spectrum Australia defines autism as a lifelong developmental disability characterised by marked difficulties in social interaction, impaired communication, restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours and sensory sensitivities.
The word ‘spectrum’ is often used because the range and severity of the difficulties people with an ASD experience can vary widely.
Despite struggling with a language processing disorder as a child and being labelled “emotionally disturbed” at primary school, Ms Williams completed a degree in linguistics and post-graduate degree in sociology, and she’s a tertiary-qualified teacher.
She has been working as an autism consultant since 1996 and has worked with more than 1000 people with autism.
Ms Williams says different forms of autism should be looked at and treated separately.
“Many psychologists push a one-size-fits-all approach to autism, and my experience in the field taught me there is no one thing called an autism spectrum condition. All people experience bits of ‘autism fruit salad’ and autism is the sum total of a range of identifiable conditions.”
Ms Williams says she will share a range of free strategies to help with individual conditions.
Details: 92494640
