The A Word tells the story of a family discovering that their quirky five-year-old son is in fact autistic. The A Word focuses on the Hughes family – at first glance, they seem to be living an idyllic life in the Lake District. But Paul and Alison Hughes are beginning to realise that there may be more to their five-year-old son Joe’s quirky behaviour than just eccentricity. A diagnosis of autism plunges the family into a disorientating world of medical jargon and new expectations.