Autism spectrum conditions are a number of different neurological conditions that include a wide range of symptoms and different levels of ability. They are lifelong developmental conditions that affects the way that individuals communicate with and relate to other people and how they make sense of the world around them.  This variation in the condition is why it is sometimes referred to as a ‘spectrum condition’. One in every hundred people are thought to have an autism spectrum condition, although many won’t be diagnosed until adulthood, if at all. People who have previously been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism fall under what are now called Autism Spectrum Conditions.

Autistic people often see autism as part of who they are rather than something separate and prefer to be described as ‘autistic’ rather than ‘someone with autism’

Strengths and Talents	Other traits:	Misconceptions:
Problem solving and thinking differently	Have difficulty interpreting the behaviour and intentions of other people, building relationships or keeping a conversation going	I have been told I am lazy at work, that I don’t concentrate on work, that I am rude to people when I speak directly, that I take things people say the wrong way’.
Visual or spatial processing	Have limited interests and show a tendency towards compulsive or repetitive behaviours	You can’t work as clinical staff in a hospital
Processing and retaining lots of information	Dislike changes to routine	That we're not intelligent because we don't always understand something the way it's initially told. That we're defiant or 'talking back' when asking questions/reasons behind something, especially to authority figures, when really those questions help us to understand in order to progress. That we're rude or antisocial when quiet in a large office setting or loud spaces, or when we can't make eye contact or struggle with small talk
Attention to detail	Find talking about emotions difficult	You cannot cope with your workload, that your quiet because you are not happy, not understood when you need alone time