Autism Awareness Week: loss of routine caused great stress

Saturday 03 April 2021

Autism Guernsey is encouraging people to be "more sympathetic and considerate" of others as part of an ongoing awareness drive around hidden disabilities.

Autism is termed a hidden disability, since you may not be able to tell just from looking at someone that they are on the autistic spectrum.

“We want to use this opportunity to raise awareness - it’s about educating people in general to be sympathetic and understanding and considerate of other people they encounter,” said Chair of Autism Guernsey, Andrew Warren.

“You never know what another person is experiencing,” he said.

Pictured: Autism Guernsey is a local charity assisting and supporting people on the autistic spectrum.

Mr Warren said Guernsey’s two covid-triggered lockdowns have increased the number of people seeking support from the charity.

“The whole covid situation and lockdown has massively increased the amount of people we are working with,” he said.

“I think it has risen by about 60%; changes in routine have provided a source of stress with people with autism.”

Pictured: “It astounds me the number of people who have links to people with autism – people are becoming increasingly aware,” said Mr Warren.

Mr Warren said there are a number of things to keep in mind when interacting with someone who may have autism.

“You need to keep in mind that they find social interaction more difficult,” he said. “They find it hard to read facial expressions or non-verbal language, you need to ensure that you are communicating clearly.”

The charity runs training programmes to help companies foster more autism-friendly working environments, therefore allowing for more employment opportunities for people with autism.

You can find out more about the charity online.