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Hi, I'm James, and I'm lucky enough to be the dad of the two main characters of this blog, Jude and Tommy. Both of my sons are autistic, and it is our stories that I will be sharing with you. I'll be talking about the good times and the bad, the happy and the sad, all with the hope of improving autism awareness. So many people know very little about autism, even friends and family don't necessarily understand. Hopefully this blog will help change that, and spread a little awareness along the way. Apart from being an autism dad I also try and juggle running a business too, so life can be pretty stressful at times.

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Hi, I'm James, and I'm lucky enough to be the dad of the two main characters of this blog, Jude and Tommy. Both of my sons are autistic, and it is our stories that I will be sharing with you. I'll be talking about the good times and the bad, the happy and the sad, all with the hope of improving autism awareness. So many people know very little about autism, even friends and family don't necessarily understand. Hopefully this blog will help change that, and spread a little awareness along the way. Apart from being an autism dad I also try and juggle running a business too, so life can be pretty stressful at times.

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Autism-Help.org

Autism Help, Information & Support - Autism Help Geelong

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Knowing the exact cause of autism is hard because the human brain is very complicated. The brain has more than 100 billion nerve cells called neurons (say: NUR-ahns). Each neuron may have hundreds or thousands of connections that carry messages to other nerve cells in the brain and body. The connections and the chemical messengers they send (called neurotransmitters) keep the neurons working as they should. When they do, you can see, feel, move, remember, experience emotions, communicate, and do lots of other important stuff.

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Knowing the exact cause of autism is hard because the human brain is very complicated. The brain has more than 100 billion nerve cells called neurons (say: NUR-ahns). Each neuron may have hundreds or thousands of connections that carry messages to other nerve cells in the brain and body. The connections and the chemical messengers they send (called neurotransmitters) keep the neurons working as they should. When they do, you can see, feel, move, remember, experience emotions, communicate, and do lots of other important stuff.

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In the brain of a kid with autism, some of those cells and connections don't develop normally or don't get organized like they're supposed to. Scientists are still trying to understand how and why this happens.

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No one knows what causes autism spectrum disorders. Scientists think that there's a connection to genetics (something to do with a kid's genes) and the environment. Some kids might be more likely to get autism because it runs in their families. Other kids get it even if nobody in their family has these types of problems.

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Some issues — like not wanting to try new foods or not wanting anyone to move your toys — affect lots of kids, not just those who have an autism spectrum disorder. But kids with these disorders may have more trouble learning to handle stuff that's challenging and annoying.

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Some issues — like not wanting to try new foods or not wanting anyone to move your toys — affect lots of kids, not just those who have an autism spectrum disorder. But kids with these disorders may have more trouble learning to handle stuff that's challenging and annoying.

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Imagine trying to understand what your teacher is saying if you didn't know what her words really mean. It is even more frustrating if a kid can't come up with the right words to express his or her own thoughts, or tell a parent what he or she needs or wants. Sometimes this can make a kid very upset and frustrated.

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Imagine trying to understand what your teacher is saying if you didn't know what her words really mean. It is even more frustrating if a kid can't come up with the right words to express his or her own thoughts, or tell a parent what he or she needs or wants. Sometimes this can make a kid very upset and frustrated.

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A kid with an autism spectrum disorder might:have trouble learning the meaning of wordsdo the same thing over and over, like saying the same wordmove his or her arms or body in a certain wayhave trouble adjusting to changes (like trying new foods, having a substitute teacher, or having toys moved from their usual places)

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A kid with an autism spectrum disorder might:have trouble learning the meaning of wordsdo the same thing over and over, like saying the same wordmove his or her arms or body in a certain wayhave trouble adjusting to changes (like trying new foods, having a substitute teacher, or having toys moved from their usual places)

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A kid's symptoms could be very mild, severe, or somewhere in the middle. Someone with mild symptoms might need only a little bit of help. But a kid with severe symptoms might need a lot of help with learning and doing everyday stuff.

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A kid's symptoms could be very mild, severe, or somewhere in the middle. Someone with mild symptoms might need only a little bit of help. But a kid with severe symptoms might need a lot of help with learning and doing everyday stuff.

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 Every day, our brains interpret (understand) the things we see, smell, hear, taste, touch, and experience. But when someone's brain has trouble interpreting these things, it can make it hard to talk, listen, understand, play, and learn.

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 Every day, our brains interpret (understand) the things we see, smell, hear, taste, touch, and experience. But when someone's brain has trouble interpreting these things, it can make it hard to talk, listen, understand, play, and learn.

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People usually call it autism (say: AW-tiz-um), but the official name is autism spectrum disorders. Why? Because doctors include autism in a group of problems that kids can have, including Asperger syndrome and others. These problems happen when the braindevelops differently and has trouble making sense of the world and helping someone communicate.