Final Hand In

‘Autism: It’s the Little Things’ is an illustrative and storytelling built project aiming to raise awareness about a condition called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism is a hidden condition. It can be difficult to identify if someone has autism by their physical exterior. It is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how an individual communicates with people surrounding them. An individual with the condition may act inappropriately or strangely and may be viewed as being odd. However this is not the case. A person with autism may act this was because it is the only way they can express themselves. People with Autism are often struck by being judged on first impressions. This project aims to create knowledge and to raise awareness about ASD. More people need to understand the condition and help those who have autism feel comfortable and welcome in our environment. Illustration and narrative are the perfect tools to use when it comes to raising awareness about the condition. It was once said that:

"Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words." (Brisbane A. 1911)

Sometimes a picture can tell a story quicker than words. Illustration can show the traits of autism and alongside a narrative this could be a really interesting way to raise awareness about autism. This could be a different approach to educating people about this condition.

The future of this project is to continue telling the stories about the brother and sister growing up together. The brother has a mild form of autism. The illustrative storybooks will have memories the author recalls growing up with her younger brother. These stories will highlight the traits of autism her brother has without dwelling on the fact too much. Autism is a hidden condition. Like the condition, the meaning will be hidden in the stories. This is because autism is hard to recognise. It is very difficult for someone to realise an individual has autism when they first meet. It does not show physically.

There is a great opportunity for this project to grow. The author expresses personal memories from her time growing up with her brother. These stories aim to teach others about the condition. They will be relatable for other siblings and family members. The future could include taking the stories and memories from different members of different families. They can tell their story and have the same output and become a part of ‘Autism: It’s the Little Things’. Autism is a spectrum condition. This means that autism affects everyone in a different way. This means that each story will be different depending on the family and the person with the condition. Currently this project has a main goal. The final series will consist of three to four books telling the stories of hat it is like to grow up with a family member with autism.

This paper documents the challenges of this project. There is a broad area to work with. The main aim is to raise awareness about autism through illustration and storytelling. There is a great opportunity to create a special and beneficial project. It is critical for this project to be a likeable and educational story. It must be light hearted and show the traits and symptoms of autism in an honest and informative way.