Autism spectrum disorders
1 in 100 people affected
700,000 autistic people in France
Of which 100,000 are under 20 years old3 boys for 1 girl
But this figure needs to be qualified in light of current research:
girls may be underdiagnosed.Appearance of the first signs mainly: between 18 and 36 months
Average age at diagnosis between 3 and 5 years
60 to 70% of autistic children out of school
Autism is a neurological developmental disorder (neurodevelopmental disorder) that appears in early childhood and evolves throughout life.
The characteristics of autism vary greatly from one individual to another. This is why we talk about autism spectrum disorders (ASD): each person is at a different level on this spectrum.
TWO TYPES OF IDENTIFIED EVENTS
Difficulties in communication and social interactions: little or no language, inadequate non-verbal communication, repetitions of certain words or expressions, poor understanding of innuendo, humor, colorful language, difficulty expressing emotions and to understand those of others, discomfort in social interactions…
Repetitive behaviors and restricted interests, repetitive or compulsive movements, intolerance to changes or the unexpected, obsessive interests or activities…
1
2
These signs are often accompanied by sensory hyper- or hypo-reactivity. Autistic people can, in fact, react intensely to sensory stimuli (noise, light, smell, touch, etc.) or, on the contrary, show little sensitivity to them.
Associated disorders: sleep problems, psychiatric problems (anxiety, depression, etc.); neurodevelopmental disorders: learning, attention (hyperactivity, etc.)...
As autism has multiple manifestations, very different depending on the person, care must be global and multidisciplinary. This is the condition for promoting the well-being, development, education and socialization of each individual, in all their singularities.
TOGETHER LET’S FIGHT
for better care of people with autism spectrum disorder, against their stigmatization and for better support for caregivers.
A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE
State commitments
Autism has been listed as a “major national cause” in the state for more than 10 years. The National Strategy for Autism within Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDD) for the period 2018-2022 aims to better meet the needs of people, at each stage of their life and in different fields such as school, employment, housing, health, leisure, culture, etc. In total, 490 million euros were mobilized over the duration of this strategy. This national strategy is part of a logic of people's journey, from the identification of disorders to educational, social and professional inclusion by integrating the different actors who contribute to it in co-construction with associations and families.
To learn more about the National Autism Strategy, click HERE
AND YET:
OBSERVATIONS OF DEFICIENCIES IN CARE
Even if progress has been made in terms of diagnosis and support since the recognition, in 1995, of autism as a disability, the expectations of families remain immense in view of the shortage of answers which should now be concretely provided.
Much also remains to be done in terms of raising awareness and informing the general public. The awarding of the “Great National Cause” label to autism in 2012 was intended to give it unprecedented institutional and media visibility and yet there is still a long way to go.
365 days
This is the average number of days of waiting before getting an appointment for a diagnosis.
PROBLEM OF PLACE OF RESIDENCE:
In private practice, neurologists and psychologists competent in this area are often concentrated in Paris and a few large cities. Families are therefore often forced to travel long distances to have their child assessed for autism.