AN autistic man has created an A-Z guide to help others understand the condition.
Lewis Beeston, from Wingate, County Durham, created the alphabetical booklet to tackle common misconceptions of the condition, including those who mistake autism for bad behaviour.
He said: “I want to tell people about autism and give people an insight.
“For example, if someone has sensory issues they might have to wear certain fabrics to make them feel comfortable.
“Or they could take things too literally or take a joke too far.
“They might not have an understanding of when to stop.”
The 20-year-old worked with the charity Fixers, which helps young people campaign on issues which are important to them, to create guide to autism and behaviours associated with it.
It covers aspects including echolalia, where people repeat noises, and obsessions, where people with autism adopt a ritual as a coping mechanism.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here