Ref. 29478-28PARENTS of autistic adults and teenagers have launched a group to offer mutual advice and support

SCAAS Support for Carers of Adults with Asperger's in Swindon comprises people who know first hand about the condition and can help others in similar situations.

The group, which is in the early stages, caters for parents with older children, aged from 16 upwards and meets once a month.

It aims to help people share experiences and exchange information and raise awareness about the condition.

The publishing sensation of the last few months, the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon put Swindon on the literary map but also raised awareness of conditions such as Asperger's and autism.

In the book, which won the Whitbread Book of the Year award, 15-year-old Christopher investigates the killing of a neighbour's dog. Although his condition is never made explicit, the Swindon teenager shows all the signs of having Asperger's.

Sharon Ward, 28, of Cheney Manor, bears testament to how important support groups are in the community.

She and her husband Jason, 28, have been attending meetings for parents of autistic children since their four-year-old son Richie was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder 18 months ago.

Her group, which like SCAAS, meets in parents' home, caters for those with children aged between three and 16. Sharon says it has been a godsend.

She said: "When Richie was first diagnosed when he was two-and-a-half we thought something was wrong so it didn't come as a huge shock.

"But even so we felt so alone, as though we were the only people experiencing the situation.

"Someone suggested I try the group and at first I thought 'what on earth am I doing here?' but now I look back and think it was the best thing we could have done."

The couple, who also have daughters Carrie-Ann, five, and five-week-old Grace, meet up with other parents on the first Wednesday of the month during term-time at different venues each time.

Each family takes it in turns to host the group, although that is not obligatory.

"It is so good having other people to talk to who understand how you are feeling and what you are going through."

Sharon said Richie loves going to the Chalet School and has come on leaps and bounds with his activities. "The staff there are absolutely brilliant. He's learning how to show us what he wants by pointing at pictures. It's a good way to teach him to communicate."

Richie can't speak but Sharon said he is very vocal with his screeching.

"I think that's a good sign. We don't know if he'll ever talk but my philosophy is never say never. I would recommend to anyone who is in a similar situation to us to go along to a support group."

For more information about the groups call 01793 770079.

Aspergers/autism factfile . . .

People with autism are not physically disabled. Due to this invisible nature it can be harder to create awareness and understanding of the condition, which affects how people communicate and interact with others. Autistic spectrum disorders are estimated to affect more than 500,000 families in the UK.

Aspergers syndrome is a form of autism. A number of traits of autism are common to Aspergers syndrome including difficulty in social relationships, difficulty in communicating and limitations in imagination and playing.

Alex Emery