Here’s a little pub quiz question for you. What do Dan Aykroyd, Emily Dickinson, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Bill Gates have in common? Give in? Let me put you out of your misery. They are, or were, all autistic.

Surprised? Well you shouldn’t be. It’s not exactly an uncommon disorder. In fact, there are 56,000 autistic people – roughly one in a 100 – living in Scotland today.

However this does not mean those on the spectrum are potentially brilliant writers, scientists or computer moguls. Maybe some are. I’m sure the vast majority share the same hopes, dreams and desires we all have.

The only difference is autistic people, to varying degrees, can see the world differently from the rest of us. I’m no expert, but as the father of a seven-year-old autistic boy, my wife and I have first-hand experience of the joy and pain attached to raising a child with a developmental condition.

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Professor Dr Stephen Shore summed it up beautifully when he said: “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” He explains that although problems with communication, sensory receptivity, interaction and behaviour are all common traits, it’s how these are blended together that creates the wide variety of characteristics within the autism spectrum. In short, no two autistic people’s condition is the same.

Autism isn’t often immediately apparent to people, which sadly can result in misunderstanding, insensitivity and bullying.

My son has what is referred to as “mindblindness”, where he can struggle to understand people’s thoughts and feelings or predict how others might react. In times of frustration, this has seen him lashing out at other children. The heartbreaking result of this is seeing him ostracised by his peers.

Such an impulsive, literal and over-focused view of a situation is not bad behaviour – although it can be perceived to be – and with the right coping mechanisms and supervision it can be managed.

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But having an autistic child changes everything. For us, we avoid any situation that involves waiting, as our son struggles to deal with things beyond the here and now. So eating out, for example, unless it's fast-food, is a big no-no.

Also, the lack of understanding and training forced us to remove him from one nursery after we felt they lacked the strategies to help, leading us to rethink our work commitments. There are good and bad days, but all things considered, so far we have been fortunate and his school has made real efforts to cater for his needs.

However, experiences of exclusion and discrimination persist for many, which is why a commissioner to champion the rights of people with autism and learning disabilities could make a huge difference. As well as having a say over council funding, it could raise awareness and change attitudes. And such a move would be a global first. So, what about it Nicola, let’s send out a message to the world that autistic people in Scotland really matter. Let's give 56,000 people a powerful voice.

Our columns are a platform for writers to express their opinions. They do not necessarily represent the views of The Herald.