Colman Noctor: Critical need for autistic children to build friendships 

"Many children and young people I see report strong feelings of loneliness and disconnection. They tell me about feeling ‘different’, ‘misunderstood’ and ‘alone’."

Autistic children need streamlined supports across  society to help them navigate their world

‘On the spectrum’ is a phrase I have heard more in the recent past than I ever did in the 20 previous years of clinical experience. 

It refers to children who are deemed to fit the criteria of the autistic spectrum.