Autism
About
Autism is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, interacts with others, and experiences their environment.
It is a lifelong disability that starts when a person is born and stays with them into old age. Every autistic person is different to every other. This is why autism is described as a ‘spectrum’. Autism is also referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Some of the challenges that people with autism face are:
* difficulties in communicating their needs and desires;
* social interaction and interpreting other people’s behaviour;
* processing sensory information; or
* processing cognitive information. But there are also strengths, such as:
* being detail oriented;
* identifying irregularities;
* being a logical thinker;
* maintaining a focus on a task; and
* seeing things from a different perspective.
There are many myths about autism. It’s important to remember that all people with autism have a different lived experience and a different combination of skills and difficulties.
Autism is most commonly diagnosed in children and young people, but sometimes adults can learn about their autism for the first time.
Adjusting to university is a challenge for all students, but it can be especially difficult if you have a condition such as autism. It could make things such as understanding and completing your studies difficult, as well as making friends or planning your daily schedule.
What to do
If you have autism, it’s likely you are working with a healthcare professional who is helping you access the support available to you. It’s a good idea to talk to them as well as your support network about your studies at Deakin and work through the help you might need to succeed. Embarking on your higher education journey will be challenging but immensely rewarding with the right support that’s tailored to your needs.
If you think you might have autism, you could learn about some of the signs and characteristics of autism in adults. You might also be feeling that your partner, someone in your family or someone you know is showing some signs of autism. You could encourage them to make an appointment with their doctor for a discussion of their situation. Remember that diagnosing autism in adults can be a long and complex process, but if you keep an open mind and you’re looking to improve your (or their) quality of life, it can be a worthwhile process regardless of the outcome.
Getting support
If you have autism, it's important to be in touch with our Disability Resource Centre. The academic and social support they offer will allow you to have the best learning experience at Deakin that you can. The DRC offers various types of support for students with learning disabilities, from alternative assessment arrangements to access to an Academic Support Worker. They can organise an access plan for you that will guide and support you for the entirety of your degree.
We also offer additional support for students through our NAVIGATE program. Once you’ve registered with the DRC, NAVIGATE will assign you a mentor who will help you get to know and use Deakin’s systems, spaces and support offerings.
If you are seeking an autism diagnosis, the best place to start is by making an appointment with the Deakin Medical Centre. In your appointment, you’ll be able to chat to a doctor about how you’re feeling, explain your symptoms and receive a referral to a specialist (a psychiatrist or psychologist) who can undertake an autism assessment.
If you are caring for someone with autism and it’s affecting your studies, we recommend you make an appointment with Deakin’s Counselling service.
More help and advice
You can learn more about autism from Autism Spectrum Australia and Autism Awareness Australia.
Amaze is a Victoria charity dedicated to creating an autism inclusive Australia – their website has lots of helpful articles and resources.
If you need to talk to someone, you can call the National Autism Helpline on 1300 308 699. This might be helpful if someone close to you has autism and you have a question. They also offer live webchat.