FROM wearing pyjamas in class, to taking part in special assemblies, schools have been doing their bit to raise awareness about autism.

St Pius X Catholic Primary School in Barrow and Millom School were among those supporting World Autism Awareness Week, which ran from March 27 to April 2.

At least one in 100 people in the UK have autism. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others.

The National Autistic Society says indifference and hostility towards autistic people and their families leads to social isolation, mental illness and unhappy lives. The society says that by helping people understand autism as they grow up will equip them to accept and empathise with autistic people.

Karen Griffiths, a specialist advisory teacher for autism, visited Millom School and led awareness assemblies for all year groups.

Pupils had the opportunity to ask questions about autism and gained an understanding that autism is a spectrum condition which affects each person differently.

Sarah Morton, director of special needs, and Clare Evans, a learning mentor, also led further awareness activities through the week.

Pupils said that it is good for people to understand more about autism and that they had enjoyed the activities.

At St Pius, teachers, pupils and parents all arrived at school in their pyjamas on March 31 to mark the awareness event.

Among the parents arriving at the Schneider Road school in his pyjamas was Dan Webber, a parent and school governor.

Mr Webber's eight-year-old daughter Izzabella has autism, so he was very keen to support the event.

Mr Webber, 27, said: "It is so important to raise awareness about autism. The teachers and children at St Pius are very aware, but it is more highlighting autism to the wider community.

"Not all disabilities are visible. It can be about being aware of how people with autism may react in a social situation.

"It's about taking things into consideration."

The National Autistic Society says autistic people have difficulties with interpreting both verbal and non-verbal language like gestures or tone of voice. Many autistic people have a very literal understanding of language, and think people always mean exactly what they say. They may find it difficult to use or understand facial expressions, tone of voice, jokes and sarcasm.

The society say it often helps to speak in a clear, consistent way and to give autistic people time to process what has been said to them.

Autistic people often have difficulty 'reading' other people, recognising or understanding others' feelings and intentions, and expressing their own emotions.

They may also experience over or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light, colours, temperatures or pain. For example, they may find certain background sounds, which other people ignore or block out, unbearably loud or distracting. This can cause anxiety or even physical pain.