Ethan shows me one of the books he is reading but, while doing it, he loses himself in the reading. He is an avid reader with diverse intellectual interests.

Matei chases soap bubbles during a weekend city break. Other children of different ages do the same thing under the amused gaze of their parents. He is running and laughing along with them but does not interact directly with them.

Massimo cuddles with his mom while holding on to a ribbon. Autistic children often become closely attached to comfort objects. The ribbon became almost an extension of his body.

Matei takes a moment to calm down after a period of agitation. Sensory regulation goes hand in hand with emotional regulation, and this connection is even stronger for persons with autism. Sensory dysregulation can easily turn into anxiety and panic. These self-soothing moments are crucial in keeping things under control.

Arthur and his father walk side by side in silence. Arthur does not speak but he often emits rhythmic sounds which sometimes take the form of a well-known song. He often gets closer to his father and seeks physical contact.

Matei on a day trip to the sand dunes at the North Sea. He holds the hand of Monique, who works with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and also does parental coaching.

Adam poses proudly in the kitchen, during a short break from work. He helps in the preparation of quiches and desserts that will be sold by an association which runs these adapted work activities for persons with disabilities.

Lemmy is fascinated by light. He is interested in any object or mechanism emitting light. While he shows me his little collection of light bulbs, he gets lost in contemplation and sensory input.

Yannis in his multi-sensory room at home. The room has laser lights, projections on the walls, and soothing music.

For Arthur, a non-verbal youngster with autism, pictograms are essential for communication, time management and the accomplishment of daily tasks. His parents use pictograms to build a daily schedule and clearly mark each activity as they go along. On my first visit, I also found myself included in the daily schedule with a pictogram called "visitor".