War on the disabled ramped up again.

[Shamefuldodger]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40058482

What the fucking fuck is this?!

Yeah, I know, you all know someone's aunts brothers nephew who just popped to the gp and got their child diagnosed (like fuck they did)

But how can this even be a consideration?

That'll work.

I have high functioning autism as does my daughter.

Am I not autistic enough to count now?

It's divide and conquer journalism and politics. Mortality top trumps. Manipulative.

Compared to the general population, the mortality rate for autism is indeed significantly higher. This is due to the physical, mental health and social factors which can be involved, and has effects across the whole autistic spectrum, not just the clinically severe end.

To suggest that diagnosis services be withdrawn is truly appalling and demonstrates the level of ignorance by those who ought to know better.

HollyJolly, now she is diagnosed you can apply for Disability Living allowance to help cover costs of SALT.

Premature death amongst those on AS

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/autism-why-do-many-autistic-people-die-before-the-age-of-40-a6937911.html

I am glad that this story has gained national coverage. Our local support groups were talking about it earlier in the week and now it's national news.

It is utterly unacceptable.

As Hazey says, services have been on the decline for ages - my ds was dx'd with ASD 18 months ago, age 3.5. He was signed off from paed services at 3.11, before he'd even started school! So no one had any idea whether he would be ok educationally or not (at the point of sign off, he was unable to talk to anyone outside the family at all). He was also signed off from SALT services (despite not being able to communicate with anyone outside the family...) because he is verbal, and so there is apparently nothing they can do for him...

And now this.

So many children being let down. Am doing tbwill only lead to bigger problems as all those families arrive at crisis point.

It's shameful.

user1491401693
Do people die from autism?

How is that relevant to a diagnosis?

What the fuck?

The orginal OP compared autism diagnosis with cancer. I asked the question. The original OP has now been reworded and my post removed.

Seriously????

Yes, you can die due to the effects of being autistic.

Nothing this wretched government does to the disabled shocks me.
However let's make sure we use our vote on 8 June.

Ways that being autistic can lead to premature death:

Stress and mental health related physical illnesses - hypertension leading to heart disease and stroke, lowered immunity, auto-immune diseases, increased risk of accidents due to cognitive difficulties and inattention.

Drug and alcohol abuse.

Inability to recognise when we're ill, including altered pain sensations and the fact that we struggle to interact with others so avoid seeking medical help.

Difficulty accessing medical care. I've lost count of the number of health professionals I've inadvertently pissed off due to my autism. They just consider me weird and defensive and don't want to deal with me.

Not being able to earn enough in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. Not having proper food to eat, heating, housing etc.

Mental illness resulting from alienation from support networks, chronic loneliness and being a societal outcast - can lead to suicide.

Side effects from psychoactive drugs that we're prescribed in order to help us appear normal to the neurotypicals cope in the world we live in. Iatrogenic disease caused by these drugs.

Chronic bullying can lead to mental illness and suicide.

These are just off the top of my head.

But I suppose if the article were actually read?

Board papers from a meeting of south-west London and St George's mental health trust a fortnight ago describe a service under intense pressure, with waiting times for autism diagnoses of more than 10 months.

The team is supposed to carry out 750 assessments a year.
But it is getting almost double that level of demand, with about 25 referrals a week. The papers state that NHS commissioners, who fund services, have asked the trust to review who is eligible for the service - so they focus specifically on children who have another condition such as depression.

Camhs are already snowed under with referrals with children who have anxiety and depression. They aren't going to make room for an autism assessment just because the child may be depressed.

It means that they will only assess the 'lowest functioning' individuals. Just because an autistic may be self caring and can string a sentence together doesn't mean that they're not badly affected by being autistic. Very badly affected in many cases.

there is already a 6 page discussion on this very subject.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2939764-Capping-the-number-of-children-diagnosed-with-autism?
it is not government policy, it is not political or to do with the GE, it is not 'war' - it is a local health authority consideration.

HTH

Surely the key thing is the bits at the end:
"No decision has been made by the Trust or by the commissioning CCGs on taking this approach forward.

Any potential changes to the service would require detailed engagement with stakeholders.
The CCGs are fully committed to talking to local people before reaching any conclusions on the way forward. We want to be clear that nothing has been decided by the CCGs or changed at this time and no change will happen in the next 12 months."

I have a relative who would, undoubtedly, be diagnosed as on the spectrum nowadays yet he is incredibly successful, in a role that is respected by society, earns as much as his siblings combined and quite vocal that today's system would have held him back. While knowing that is not the same for all I would sooner see the testing, diagnoses and support going to those that need it.
To refer to a consultation as a war on the disabled is over the top in my opinion and does not help.

This is how it used to be 20/30 years ago. It is a really easy way of reducing support. You are not diagnosed - so we won't give you support. You won't get diagnosed as we have raised the thresholds.

FanjofortheMammaries There is always prioritising when it comes to any disability or health need. It has already been happening.

Yep, and no diagnosis = "it's just bad parenting" or "naughty child" so no support from schools, kids consigned to the dump because of that, no qualifications, no job, mental health suffers, maybe drug/alcohol problems as they get older etc.

And of course it will be the poor who suffer (again) as those who can afford a private diagnosis for their "not severe" autistic child go down that route, while the poor have to put up with being labelled as bad parents etc. ("Oh, they couldn't get a diagnosis, they were obviously only trying to get one for the DLA, he just needs a slap, naughty kid" etc)

As I stated on the other thread, I won't go into details, but being undiagnosed means I have cost the NHS shedloads of money over the years.