Navigating the noise: Supporting students with autism
In the past, young people with autism rarely went to university. However, as we understand more about autism, and get better at supporting children and teenagers with autism to be successful at school, more of them are able to go to university.
Autism is a word we use to describe a range of developmental disorders that lead to difficulties with social communication and interaction, alongside restricted or repetitive behaviours like repetitive movements, rigidly adhering to specific routines and being under- or overreactive to sensory input (like avoiding certain sounds, or being fascinated with flashing lights). Dr Chung from the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of California highlights that our understanding and diagnosis of autism has changed over time. However, it is widely recognised that people with autism need support. World Autism Awareness Day, marked on 2 April, serves as a reminder of this.
The need for support comes from the difficulties that people with autism have participating in everyday life. Difficulties with social situations means that students only have one or two close friends at university. Logan Julius, and academic advisor at Stellenbosch University, also highlights that what is often misunderstood as having “no emotions” is often because of a heightened emotional sensitivity, which enables a meaningful connection with people beyond verbal expression. Nevertheless, when comparing themselves to other students who have close connections with many friends, this can feel quite lonely. It can also mean that students are reluctant to ask for help, even when they need it.
One student in a study of the lived experience of students with autism said “I don’t want to draw any attention to myself as needing any help. I’m just scared to ask for help in the mean time because I don’t want to hear if I’ve got it all wrong and I’m almost scared to hear what they’ve got to say.” This highlights why we need to encourage students with autism to access university services early in their academic journey. This can help them better communicate their needs with their lecturers and ensure they receive academic support before a crisis happens.
Another challenge is managing the sensory landscape of university life. Dr Monique de Wit, an occupational therapist and rural health specialist at Stellenbosch University, highlights how students with autism may struggle with noisy and crowded lecture venues, flashing lights and loud music at social events and the lack of any private space to retreat to. This is especially the case when they need to share rooms with other students. All this sensory input can be quite overwhelming.
A study in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy that included 150 students with disabilities suggested that there are many ways in which the learning environment at universities can be improved. This includes reducing sensory input by designating quiet spaces and reducing bright lighting, providing opportunities to access fresh air and nature and creating spaces with comfortable seating and soft furnishings. One student in that study suggested “it can be a multiuser space but the rules are it is a quiet, sensory safe haven where one can sit and read or meditate or just try to relax or sleep”.
Another study published in the Journal of Occupational Therapy Education found initial evidence to support using simple items like fidget toys, hand exercise balls and aromatherapy putty as a way of reducing anxiety and managing sensory needs. Lecturers can also create inclusive learning spaces by offering students choice in attending class or listening to a podcast. This is especially important for those days that university life feels overwhelming.
Marina Sarris at SPARK for Autism also highlights how staying organised and maintaining a routine can be difficult for students with autism, especially those who recently left school. At university, there is no bell to remind you to go to class, no teachers following up regularly on incomplete work and no caregivers to make sure that basic tasks like doing the laundry is done. Competing demands from different modules further adds to the complexity of managing your time. In a study published in the International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, a student with autism said “I’m getting really, really anxious and I’m worried that I won’t have the confidence and organisational skills to succeed. Just the thought of going back makes me feel sick. It’s exhausting.”
Despite these challenges in daily life, it is also important to recognise that autism comes with its own “superpowers” that students can use to their advantage. Students with autism may be highly intelligent. People like Nikola Tesla, an electrical engineer who invented alternating current, and Anthony Hopkins, an internationally acclaimed actor, are two examples. Students with autism also have the ability to hyper-focus on a particular topic or field. This amazing ability likely contributed to Michael Phelps’ commitment to his swimming training and John “Doomsday” Howard’s success as a Mixed Martial Arts champion.
People with autism have a higher level of sensory awareness and a depth of perception and recognition of detail that other people often miss. In other words, people with autism have a better sense of what it really means to “smell the roses”. Along with this, their creative thinking and unique ways of looking at the world can also be channelled into artistic or musical talents.
Occupational therapist and author of the Create2Grow art programme for children with learning differences, Beth Conolly, offers the following top tips for university students with autism:
“University brings a whole new set of demands, perspectives, feelings, information, colours, sounds and smells. This may feel like bombardment in the beginning, a war zone that one must not only acclimatize to but somehow thrive in! Be gracious to yourself and take it slow; this is a tough transition for any person and the neurodivergent mind may have an even harder time finding equilibrium in the chaos of university life.
“Take the time to develop the routines and strategies you need to navigate your new surroundings. To do this, you must not only learn your study content but yourself and the environment astutely. Find a calm perch on which to sit and observe the details. In time, you will find they were not as overwhelming as you once thought. There, hidden in the algorithms, patterns and rules of life, are reasons why people think, feel, interact and learn the way they do. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and refine your hypothesis testing, because once you have committed yourself to the study of life, you will be better equipped to manage it. There is no better place to do this than at university, a microcosm of society and all things complex!
“The reward for your diligent study will be an increased tolerance and ability to bring structure to the chaos and create an internal process, a way of thinking and responding, that enables you to discover your full potential and maximize the niche you contribute to this ecosystem.”
Professor Nicola Plastow is an associate professor of occupational therapy at Stellenbosch University. She promotes students’ health and wellbeing by advocating for occupational justice and by supporting students to participate in the daily activities that are central to student life.