Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. It is part of the autism spectrum and is sometimes referred to as an autism spectrum disorder, or ASD.

The word 'spectrum' is used because, while all people with autism share three main areas of difficulty, their condition will affect them in very different ways.

The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the 'triad of impairments'. 

They are:

• difficulty with social communication
• difficulty with social interaction
• difficulty with social imagination

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