FOR AS long as I can remember I have realised that there is something about me which is not quite the same as other people, but for years I had no idea what that might be.

Close personal relationships, for example. I just did not get them, or maybe they did not get me. As I grew up I could see other people developing them. But not me. 

Who else did I know that could go for 10 years or more without happening into some form of relationship, if only by accident? Whatever this thing was it was something that was happening just to me and to no-one else in the entire world.

Just over two years ago I started reading about Asperger Syndrome (AS) as I was likely to be coming into contact with someone who had the condition and I wanted to know what to expect.

But as I read on I began to realise that I was not reading about someone else — I was reading about myself. 

Eventually, just under a year ago at the age of 51, I was diagnosed with AS. It came as such a relief to discover that there were thousands — millions — of other people in just the same circumstances, and they were everywhere. 

For once in my life, I was part of a community. But I began to think that if this was a community then it was one in which many of its members are existing in isolation, just as I had been.

If I could do something, however small, to help to change that then it was my duty to do so and I made the decision to be completely open about my AS to everyone. 

AS is what is known as an autistic spectrum condition, characterised by difficulties in social interaction, the ability to understand non-verbal communication and the ability to read what another person is thinking. There is more to it than that, of course. 

It is often described as a “mild” form of autism — but this is far from true. It may be that evidence of AS is more difficult to spot from the outside than other forms of autism, but from the inside the consequences are just as challenging. I am happy to be described as — and to describe myself as — autistic.

The opportunities for people with autism to meet others with the same condition are relatively few. So when I heard about the Autism Show in London on June 13 and 14 I decided to go along to see what it was about.

It is a showcase for a wide range of organisations offering services to autistic people, including specialist equipment, software and care packages. 

There are also talks by leading experts in the field of autism and a demonstration of what can be achieved by autistic people under the title Autism’s Got Talent (they took on Simon Cowell over the right to use the words “Got Talent” and won, which has got to be a good thing).

I also met organisations such as the University of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre, which is carrying out research into individuals with autism of all ages and their families, which should lead to improvements in quality of life for autistic people in the future.

It is a great thing that we are able to have such an event at a time when people with disabilities of all kinds are being disadvantaged by the current government’s succession of cuts to services and benefits.

But if I were to make one criticism of the show it is that it is not wide-ranging enough. It caters mainly for the needs of parents of autistic children but there is very little on offer for adults. 

A representative from the National Autistic Society, which had a large presence here, told me that they often hear the opinion that autism is something that affects children. But autistic children grow up to become autistic adults.

It was also pointed out to me more than once the show itself is not a good environment for autistic people. It is too noisy and too crowded. 

I realise that if you are going to put on a show such as this and make it popular, it will by definition attract a lot of people and a lot of people will make a lot of noise. 

It’s a difficult balance to get right but there are amenities like the “calm room” and the “sensory room” to retreat to if it gets too much for anyone.

There are many issues affecting autistic people and events such as this are the ideal place to bring them to wider attention. 

For example, an economic analysis published earlier this month shows that autism costs the British economy more than cancer, stroke and heart disease put together, and yet local authority provision for autism is at best minimal. 

Although the Autism Act 2009 required an autism strategy to be published there was no real consultation on this and the resulting strategy has resulted in little practical change. 

So while the Autism Show could be broadened, it is certainly worth a visit by anyone affected by autism, and I would like to see it continue and to expand its remit.

The Autism Show will be at EventCity in Manchester on June 27 and 28