Selection of work from The Rainbow Myth Exhibition Spring/Summer 2018 World Autism Awareness Week 26thMarch-2ndApril 2018 An exhibition of work from Deborah representing an emotional exploration of her relationship with her son who has autism.
Autistic children and adults often experience anxiety and depression as they try to fit into the world around them. Sensory overload, environmental sensitivity, social anxiety and communication difficulties are all a daily occurrence. These difficulties can trigger stress and depression, even psychosis. Coping mechanisms and comfort behaviours can be developed with safeness and security found in routine and predictability. With long waiting lists and financial cuts in education and the health service, parents end up being advocates for their child’s care, treatment and wellbeing. There is still a lot of medical research to be done and so much for us to learn about Autism spectrum conditions. Each individual has different characteristics, different needs and different strengths.
Autism is commonly known as a ‘hidden disability’ but there are strengths in all autistic children and adults, including those with complex learning and communication difficulties. Though many may think of autism as disabling, people on the autistic spectrum are just different, often mis-understood and fitting into a world designed for the neurotypical can make life challenging.