The "flower of autism" isn't a single official flower, but the Sunflower (Hidden Disabilities Sunflower) is a globally recognized symbol used by autistic individuals to discreetly indicate they have a non-visible disability and may need extra support, time, or understanding in public spaces. Other symbolic flowers include the blue forget-me-not, used in campaigns for disability rights, and various floral designs incorporating the classic rainbow puzzle piece for autism awareness.
While the sunflower is used to denote people with autism, the sunflower represents a plethora of other physical, mental, developmental, and sensory disabilities. Here are some of the most common hidden disabilities that the sunflower represents.
The sunflower is a globally recognized symbol for hidden disabilities and wearing one helps wearers to discreetly signal to people around them that they may need additional support or help in public areas.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a simple tool for you to voluntarily share that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent – and that you may need a helping hand, understanding, or more time in shops, at work, on transport, or in public spaces.
There is no qualifying list of invisible disabilities - you simply choose to wear the Sunflower to indicate that you may need additional support, help or simply a little more time.
The co-occurrence of ADHD and autism is sometimes known as AuDHD. One recent study of preschool and school-age children found that among children with ADHD, 33% also had autism. Among children with autism, 10% also had ADHD.
The Equality Act 2010 sets out when someone is considered to be disabled and protected from discrimination. The definition covers a range of illnesses and conditions - so check it even if you don't think you're disabled. For example, you might be covered if you have a dyslexia, autism or chronic migraines.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is recognised in Australia and internationally as a way for people to voluntarily indicate they have a non-visible disability.
So, ADHD and ASD aren't the same condition, but — because they have so many similarities — it's easy to confuse them. After all, it's not like there's a specific spot on the brain where ASD stops and ADHD begins.
A card that clips onto your Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard to indicate that you have ADHD and may need some support, understanding or more time. This package has the option of two different lengths of lanyard, small or standard length.
The 🌸 emoji typically represents a Cherry Blossom (Sakura), symbolizing spring, beauty, and renewal, but it can broadly refer to many pink or general flowers like Roses, Peonies, Hibiscus, or Azaleas, with specific names depending on context (e.g., Japanese culture often uses Sakura for its seasonal significance).
Sunflowers primarily symbolize happiness, adoration, and loyalty due to their bright, sun-like appearance and tendency to turn towards the sun (heliotropism). They also represent resilience, longevity, and strength for growing tall and strong in challenging conditions, along with themes of positivity, good luck, and the pursuit of truth or spiritual guidance. Across cultures, they signify vitality, abundance, and the enduring human spirit, making them symbols of encouragement, friendship, and celebration.
The Sunflower is a simple way for people with non- visible disabilities to discreetly share that they may need a little extra time, understanding or support in public spaces. You might see someone wearing a Sunflower lanyard, badge or bracelet, now you know what it means.
Across various cultures, animals have long been used as symbols to convey specific meanings and associations. For example: In Native American culture, the butterfly is seen as a powerful symbol of transformation and change, aligning with the growth and development that individuals with autism may undergo.
As previously mentioned, the symbol that most people associate with autism is the multi-colored, interlocking puzzle piece. This symbol was created by 15 people, some of whom were autistic, and others were autism advocates.
🌻 Sunflower emoji
Representing adoration and loyalty, the 🌻 emoji is perfect to send to a friend to brighten up their day or if you want to send some happy and positive vibes.
Around 90% of autism cases are attributed to genetic factors, meaning autism is highly heritable, with many different genes contributing, rather than a single cause, often interacting with environmental influences during early brain development, though specific environmental factors don't cause it but can increase risk. Twin studies show strong genetic links, with concordance rates between 60-90% in identical twins, and research points to complex interactions of many genes and prenatal/perinatal factors.
The "6-second rule" for autism is a communication strategy where a speaker pauses for about six seconds after asking a question or giving information, giving the autistic person extra time to process it without feeling rushed, which helps reduce anxiety and allows for a more thoughtful response, reducing frustration for both parties. Instead of repeating or rephrasing, which can be confusing, you wait, and if needed, repeat the exact same words after the pause.
Five key signs of autism (ASD) involve difficulties with social communication, repetitive behaviors, intense interests, sensory sensitivities, and strict routines, such as trouble with small talk/eye contact, hand-flapping/lining things up, deep focus on specific topics, sensitivity to sounds/lights, and distress over schedule changes, though these vary widely.
Your Invisible Disabilities Australia National Access Card and Lanyard provides evidence that you need discreet assistance and outlines the nature of the assistance you require. You can either show your card or explain the assistance you need.
The majority of IDEA appropriations are allocated to states by formula to carry out activities under Part B, which covers 14 disability categories: (1) autism, (2) deaf-blindness, (3) deafness, (4) emotional disturbance, (5) hearing impairment, (6) intellectual disability, (7) multiple disabilities, (8) orthopedic ...
Percentage of people with a disability per country
Latvia has the highest share of people with a disability (41.2%), followed by Finland (34.9%). Use the arrow keys ↑ ↓ ← → to navigate through the symbols.
The different types of autism include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), autistic disorder (classic autism), Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), and Rett syndrome.
Genetic overlap of autism with intelligence
These studies indicate that polygenic, small-effect size alleles that increased risk of autism are also associated with increased intelligence (and strong correlates of intelligence, such as education level; Davies et al., 2016) among neurotypical individuals.
From the age of 16, you or your child may be eligible for the Disability Support Pension. If eligible, the Disability Support Pension provides financial help if autism prevents a person from working.