
✨ At Port Noarlunga Primary School, we recognise and value neurodiversity. Students experience, understand and respond to the world in different ways, and these differences are a natural and important part of our school community.
What Is Autism? Diagnostic features and support levels
Must have deficits in each of the 3 areas below:
- Deficits in social/emotional reciprocity
- Deficits in nonverbal communication
- Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships
At least 2 of 4:
- Repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech
- Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior, including foods
- Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus
- Hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment
- Symptoms must be present from an early age, though they may appear as demands increase
- Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of function
- Symptoms are not better explained by intellectual impairment
Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. For either criterion, severity is described in 3 levels:
- Level 3 — Requires very substantial support
- Level 2 — Requires substantial support
- Level 1 — Requires support
Autism and Girls How presentation may differ
Less girls are diagnosed than boys. Girls often present differently:
- Quiet, shy, awkward, compliant, passive
- Not asking for help, or being avoidant, to mask difficulty
- Explosive outbursts or meltdowns
- Perfectionist tendencies
- Very determined and likes to be in control
- Fine motor or sensory difficulties
- Enjoys reading, has a good imagination, etc
✨Quicklinks to sections on this page:
- About Sensory Processing and Difficulties
- Communication Differences
- Professionals to follow online
- Families/People to Follow online
✨About Sensory Processing and Difficulties

📺 SEE: Sensory overload video experience:
✨Communication Differences
Visit the Communication Hub: https://communicationhub.com.au/
The Communication Hub is for people with communication difficulties, their communication partners, and the wider community. It highlights the importance of communication in everyday life and provides information for those with communication difficulties to empower themselves and others.


✨Professionals to follow online
Sue Larkey https://suelarkey.com.au/
Teacher & Lecturer who has a Masters in Special Education. She has authored 15 books on teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Autism CRC https://www.autismcrc.com.au/
Autism CRC is the independent national source of evidence for best practice in relation to autism across the lifespan and the spectrum. We provide the national capacity to develop and deliver evidence-based outcomes through our unique collaboration with autistic people, families, professionals, service providers, researchers, and government.
Autism Spectrum Australia https://www.aspect.org.au/
Also known as Aspect. We are Australia’s largest service provider for people on the autism spectrum. Our specialised, evidence-informed schools program is one of the largest in the world, with additional services that include information and advice, diagnostic assessments, behaviour support, parent and family support, and adult programs. We share evidence-informed autism practice and applied research nationwide. Our purpose: a different brilliant.
Yellow Ladybugs https://www.yellowladybugs.com.au/
A non-government organisation dedicated to the happiness, success, and celebration of autistic girls, women, and gender diverse individuals.
Kelly Mahler https://www.kelly-mahler.com/
I teach professionals, caregivers, and self-helpers how to use evidence-based supports that facilitate discovery and validation of each person’s unique interoception experience, which in turn empowers people with self-understanding, self-regulation, health, well-being, and social connection.
✨Families/People to follow online
Renae Ingles Instagram
Former Australian netballer, wife of NBL star Joe Ingles, and mother. One of their children, Jacob, was diagnosed with autism. She documents her life, including her successes and challenges as both an individual and as a mum.
Dean Biddle Podcasts / Instagram / Facebook
Dean has toured the UK and the world for fifteen years as an autistic speaker and trainer. Dean is also a proud promoter of the autistic voice, encouraging and empowering other autistic people to share their experiences and insights too.
The Famous Bachelors Instagram
A household of young men who support each other, particularly their housemate with autism, while workshopping life and dating advice together.
Neurowild Facebook / Instagram
Em is an autistic and ADHDer speech pathologist, and mum to three neurodivergent kiddos. She is also an artist and illustrator with a passion for neurodiversity-affirming practice.
Autism from the Inside YouTube Channel
If you’re autistic or think you or someone you love might be on the autism spectrum, this channel is for you. I’m Paul Micallef, and I discovered my own autism at age 30. Yes, I know, I don’t look autistic. That’s exactly why I started this channel in the first place, because if I didn’t show you, you would never know. Autism affects many, if not all, aspects of our lives, so on this channel I want to show you what autism looks like in real people and give you some insight into what’s happening for us on the inside.
The OT Toolbox https://www.theottoolbox.com/
The OT Toolbox is your therapy toolbox, filled with tools for occupational therapy activities, OT interventions, and child development resources. Designed to support the healthy development of children, you’ll discover hands-on OT activities, tools for therapists, and intervention ideas to support kids, as well as the OT professionals, educators, and parents that strive to help kids thrive.
Queries?
Contact Port Noarlunga Primary School.
Also see: Wellbeing at Port Noarlunga Primary (link to come)
Page updated: March 2026