All this week the Echo will be taking an in-depth look at autism. May is Hampshire Autistic Society's Autism Awareness Month. Vicki Green met the wife of the founder of the charity...

Although it was first identified in 1943, autism is still a relatively unknown disability. Yet autistic spectrum disorders are estimated to touch the lives of over 500,000 families throughout the UK.

Coping with a son who has autism can be difficult at the best of times, but when Richard White was born back in the 1950s the view taken of autistic children was very different from today.

Back then, children with autism were said to be 'uneducable' and basically were excluded from the education system and had to stay at home.

Richard's parents, Philip and Molly White decided to do something about the situation.

Molly, now 83, from Southampton said: "Richard was diagnosed with autism at five years of age. We realised before his diagnosis that he was probably suffering from autism because we read an article about the condition in a national newspaper.

"At the time there was very little awareness of the condition or understanding for parents with children who have autism so we had no support to start off with."

People with autism are not physically disabled and 'look' just like anybody without the disability. Due to this invisible nature it can be much harder to create awareness and understanding of the condition.

Often because an autistic child looks 'normal' others assume they are naughty or the parents are not controlling the child. Strangers frequently comment on this 'failing'.

Molly said: "Richard was and still is illiterate, innumerate and mute. He lives in residential accommodation but he is still very dependant on me. Philip has passed away now but Richard still needs me.

"The article we had read in the newspaper had been written by the National Society of Autistic Children, and through them we were provided with the names and addresses of local people who had autistic children.

"We formed a little group and in 1966 we became a charity called the Southampton Society of Autistic Children. In 1970, the laws surrounding autistic children changed and it was decided that autistic children were actually educable.

"It was that year that we started Hope Lodge School in Southampton with the view to providing an education for autistic children. As the years passed, the society developed the services it offers autistic children.

"Sadly, in 1986, Philip died aged 66. But the good work we all started continues today. Now I am one of the Vice Presidents of the charity and am still very actively involved in raising awareness of autism."

HOW AUTISM AFFETS ITS SUFFERERS:

Autism is a profound and lifelong handicap affecting approximately 80,000 people in Britain today. Autism recognises no barriers to either race or social class.

There are more than 700 children and adults with autism in Hampshire and it is known to affect four times as many boys as girls.

The spectrum of the autistic condition affects a wide range of people - from those with severe learning difficulties to those of normal or 'super' intelligence.

Although there are a number of theories concerning the possible cause of autism, the strongest evidence seems to suggest that autism is due to come form of neuro-developmental disorder.

Autism affects the part of the brain, which controls, interprets and responds to the sensory messages from the outside world. It is distinguished from other conditions by three interrelated impairments and their behavioural consequences:

1. Imagination

A lack of understanding of other people's thoughts, feelings and needs; narrow and inflexible patterns of repetitive behaviours, problems adapting knowledge and experiences within difference situations in everyday life; and problems fitting these experiences into a coherent and broad mental picture of the world outside.

2. Communication

Using and understanding both verbal and non-verbal communication appropriately, such as incessantly talking about one subject; being echolalic ie copying/repeating words spoken to him/her; frustration and disturbed behaviour because the autistic persons inability to understand or make him/herself understood.

3. Social Skills

Lack of interest/inability to interact with other people; relating to others in a socially unacceptable way ie not understanding the society 'niceties'/rules e.g. giggling/laughing at inappropriate moments, interrupting conversations in order to demand something for themselves, showing indifference/ignoring what is being said to them; due to the inability to empathise, being unable to respond appropriately to people, exhibiting 'bizarre' behaviours.

Diagnosis is difficult and lengthy. Parents are often aware that something is seriously wrong with their child, long before a diagnosis is confirmed. Many children reach school age, and even some of their teenage years.

Autism is what is termed a developmental disorder. As the person with autism gets older, and experiences more of life's situations, the way in which he/she responds to these problems will change.

All people with autism will experience the above problems to some degree - varying from profound severity in some individuals to a subtle problem of understanding in others. Of every 100 sufferers with autism, five out of ten will become independent adults, 25 out of 30 will make good.