Overview

This e-learning course explains what autism spectrum conditions are, the impact they have and how people with autism differ from others in the way they make sense of the world. It is useful for professional carers as well as family members. The autism course identifies some of the common difficulties that autistic people experience and suggests techniques for helping them to overcome these on a day-to-day basis. Learners will then be able to use this information to provide people in their care with the appropriate support and guidance according to their needs.

The course is broken down in to 3 bite-sized units with the following titles:

• What are Autism Spectrum Conditions?
• Characteristics of Autism and Support Strategies
• Legal Protections and Effective Planning

Objectives

On completion of this course learners will be able to:

• Describe autism and list the different conditions within the spectrum
• Explain the difficulties many autistic people have with communication, social behaviour and relationships
• Explain strategies for supporting individuals in relation to the triad of impairments
• Describe how people with autism often see the world around them in a different way to those without the condition
• Describe the ‘theory of mind’ experiment and explain how it can be used as a diagnostic tool
• Suggest possible ways of supporting people with memory problems or sensory sensitivity