The autistic spectrum is not, as is commonly understood, a line of severity but a cluster of impairments. Should the health issues that autistic people are prone to be considered alongside of, or as part of the spectrum? If so, why hasn’t this been spotted before now?
During the recent Autism Awareness month, there was much talk of the need for better awareness and support for mental health but very little discussion of physical health and how that might relate to wellbeing and capacity.
We now need to seriously consider whether some of the impairments and limitations we are used to accepting as part of autism have underlying causes that can be addressed.
This recent blog, produced for One Health Tech, asks:
“Do we really understand what autistic people need to ensure their health and well-being?” and “Why are patterns of comorbidity a specific concern?” and highlights the importance of framing the problem and enabling patient reported outcomes and citizen research in autistic health.