People with autism and their families face social isolation

MOST Australians know what autism is, but misconceptions are still rife, leading many families to face a life of social isolation according to a new report.

AUTISTIC people and their families are often shunned and left socially isolated as a devastating result of other people’s negative reactions.

Despite its prevalence and prominence increasing, a new report released today reveals most Australians don’t know how to support someone with the lifelong developmental ­disability.

Most understand it affects everyone differently: it may make people sensitive to light and noise and can make it harder to make friends or get a job. But there are still major misconceptions.

Almost 20 per cent of people thought it made people violent and schools could refuse enrolments, while 45 per cent of people believed it could be “cured”.

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Amaze CEO Fiona Sharkie said the research showed the community doesn’t know how to support people with autism. Picture: Angie Basdekis

Forty per cent of families ­reported losing friends because of a diagnosis or being too worried about people reacting negatively towards them to leave their house.

More than half of respondents said that people often or sometimes stare at them, tut or shook their head, or actively avoided them.

Amaze chief executive Fiona Sharkie said almost everyone surveyed had heard of autism.

“But only 29 per cent of people said they would know how to support an autistic person, and 4 per cent of autistic people feel supported in the community,” Ms Sharkie said.

An autistic boy was allegedly assaulted outside a Melbourne school last week.

“We need to move from awareness to understanding, engagement and acceptance so autistic people can participate in and enjoy all the things we take for granted.”

It’s estimated one in 100 people have autism, which affects the way they communicate and interact with others.

Amaze has launched a new campaign to help people understand how to better support autistic people, for example not using idioms or sarcasm, as they are often taken literally, and withholding judgment.

“Challenges around social communication can lead to lack of friends and social isolation and autistic people have said to me: ‘It’s not our autism that disables us, it’s the non-acceptance and lack of understanding in the community’.”

www.amaze.org.au

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