08/04/2026
Today is World Health Day so when better to look at Autistic health as part of our Autistic Empowerment Campaign.
You may have read the manifesto released by Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics CIC, ARGH Scotland, AMASE - Autistic Mutual Aid Society Edinburgh, and Avatar Borders - and if not, check out the blog on our website. Two of the actions we have asked for are annual health checks for Autistic people along with mandatory Autistic crafted and delivered training.
Accessible healthcare is a passion of mine as a medical frequent flyer (I sit writing this waiting for an appointment for monthly blood tests). There are huge barriers and inequalities we face, all of which can and should be acknowledged and addressed.
As a community we are more likely to experience:
* Poor mental health
* Sleep disorders
* Gastrointestinal problems
* Connective tissue issues
* Endometriosis
* Fibromyalgia
* Allergies
* Challenges related to menopause
* Later diagnosis of cancer
And much more - and all of this without factoring in other intersecting identities such as gender, ethnicity, poverty, etc. Timely access to good quality healthcare is essential for us.
I’ve delivered training to GPs, Mental Health Officers, CAMHS, Speech and Language Therapists, Health Visitors, and more, and all of them have said that they had not accessed training in supporting Autistic patients until that point. None had been signposted to Autistic sources of info. While in hospital recovering from my most recent operation, two members of staff asked what I do for work, and when learning I delivered Autistic led training both said that’s something they’d very much like to attend - many medical professionals recognise this is an area they want to improve upon.
The lack of mandatory training for medical professionals contributes to our difficulties accessing timely healthcare. Like many of you out there I have heard some horrendously ableist things while trying to access healthcare - one doctor laughed nervously as he informed me that Autistic people think too much based off his friend’s stories about his nephew 🤦♀️ And the last thing I wanted to hear mid breast exam. I don’t think he thought that comment through enough…
During the training I’ve delivered to medical professionals there are some points I always try and include:
* General myth busting. You need a solid foundation of understanding to build on
* Understanding of how Autistic people communicate so they take us seriously, support all forms of communication, and don’t expect us to exaggerate our symptoms
* Understanding of Autistic sensory experiences and how to support them in their practice
* Understanding of Autistic health care related trauma so they can support us in a trauma informed way
* The importance of continuity of care to allow you to build a trusting relationship with your Autistic patient
* Discussion of Autistic interoception so they understand why it can be hard for us to process when we are in pain, poorly, etc.
* Understanding that many of us need more information than allistic patients
Taking responsibility to adjust the environment, give us enough time to communicate in a way that works for us, and take our concerns seriously are important steps for making healthcare more accessible and giving us better outcomes.
Also remember there is a free to download, completely customisable Medical Passport to download from our website. Head to the knowledge centre’s downloads section to grab yours. And ICYMI, last week we ran a series of posts on what to expect when having an operation. You can also check our colonoscopy blog! Have I mentioned accessible healthcare is a passion of mine?! 😉
And I can’t write a health related post without saying there is no link between vaccines and being Autistic! Vaccines do not cause Autism. My appointment for my next Covid jab came through recently and I am incredibly grateful to still be offered them.
