Phil Hickey

An educator says she was left "disturbed" by a conversation she had with a school psychologist who is on trial accused of assaulting a young student with autism.

The boy was 12 when the alleged assault happened at the school.

Agni Angelkovska, 50, is on trial in the Perth Magistrates Court accused of slapping the male student and throwing a cup of water at him at Christ Church Grammar School in 2014.

Children with autism will be given the opportunity to meet with Santa away from the noisy crowds this Christmas to ensure their wish list makes it to the North Pole.

Ocean Keys Shopping Centre has had a quiet word to the elves and has organised Father Christmas to meet with children on the autism spectrum in a calm, quiet environment.

People on the autism spectrum can find noisy and crowded places unduly stressful, making Christmas crowds particularly difficult.

Daile Cross

The young Perth man confined to a dingy bedroom in a Department of Communities house will be allocated an extra staff member to support him during the night.

Autism appears in about one per cent of children but because its rarely spotted before the age of three many don't get the early intervention work that could greatly improve their development down the track.

In an Australian first trial to begin next year a team of WA researchers hope to change that and fill a gap for autism early-intervention services.

Georgie Elle

Supermarkets intentionally slaughter their customers with bright lights and music to influence their buying decisions.

Loud PA announcements, crashing trolleys, changes in temperature, smells from the bakery, deli, gardening department, butcher, seafood, staff with their large oversized trolleys parked in aisles in the way filling shelves that you have to carefully manoeuvre around...

Coles introduced a quiet hour to its shops in the eastern states.

Photo: Edwina Pickles

Jeff Truesdell

A mother and her four children with autism were among seven victims of what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide on the family’s rural farm in the Australia town of Osmington.

Until recently, four-year-old Hussain Hussain communicated with his mother by pulling at her and pointing to what he wanted.

He managed the odd word but could not put two together.

His mother, Sohaila Ibrahim, suspected something was wrong and was not surprised when Hussain was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in late 2017.

As devastating as it was, the diagnosis turned out to be a blessing, making it possible for Hussain to attend a new school specialising in learning for students with ASD.

And the early signs have been extremely positive.

Three Perth boys have started a charity that aims to enhance the lives of those living with autism.

Luke Hallam, Sam Moyle and Tom Johnston take children and young adults on the autism spectrum out of their comfort zones and into the ocean - helping to break down barriers to develop confidence and self-belief.

Tony Carr

It was a normal Saturday morning.

I was preparing to drive down to the local shop with my then 16-year-old autistic son Brandon to buy the newspaper and an ice cream.

Brandon looked forward to his weekend treat from dad and I enjoyed our little outing.

But this didn't turn out to be any normal Saturday morning.

Just before we were about to head out to the car, Brandon attacked his mother Joan with such ferocity it took me completely off guard.