According to the National Council for Special Education in July 2016, one in 65 schoolchildren in Ireland have been diagnosed with autism.
It’s a condition that affects families throughout the country and in Autism and Me on RTÉ on Monday night, viewers will hear directly from a range of diverse and engaging participants about what living with autism is like and about how they feel they are perceived by the rest of the world.
Among the participants, some of whom appeared on The Late Late Show on Friday night, is 22-year old Adam Harris, who has Asperger’s Syndrome and, drawing on his own experiences, has set up AsIAm, an organisation that supports people with autism and educates the public about the condition.
Also featuring in the documentary is 16-year old Fiacre Ryan, who has been practising an experimental method of communication called RPM since 2013, finding a way to express his thoughts and feelings. His progress using the method continues to astonish his family and his school.
20-year old Niamh Biddulph, 11-year old Hughie Malone and 11-year old twins Dylan and Lee Burke and their parents will also be featured in a documentary, which airs on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.
Clip via RTÉ
Main image via Jenny McCarthy
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