Mother from an autism support page has been told by GP that people with autism are considered very high risk?

[Roostersmum2]

My DS has autism, global developmental delay and sensory processing disorder. I'm in several support groups on Facebook for parents of children with autism and a fellow mum from one of these groups has put up this picture today, I have blurred out identifable details.

Today she received a letter stating that her autistic children fall under the shielded category and have to isolate for a minimum of 12 weeks. She says the children are fit and healthy with no conditions other than autism.

She contacted the surgery and was then sent this message (see picture)

She goes on to say that she finally managed to speak to the GP over the phone who reiterated what was said in the letter and said yes, they are in the shielded category and need to isolate.

Does anybody know anything about this? I've checked the official sources and can't find anything about autism making you high risk, but it does say "certain neurological conditions"

Can anybody shed any light on this? As a mother of an ASD child I'm both concerned and confused

Thanks for removing the second picture MNHQ, I completely overlooked the name in that screenshot

I don't tend to believe everything I see on Facebook of course not, but these groups tend to be very supportive in general and I hoped that a fellow SN parent wouldn't deliberately stir up drama unless there had been a misunderstanding.

There is absolutely no way that is genuine.

I just did a search of mumsnet and someone posted the other day saying they'd had a letter for their autistic daughter.
I wish there was more information regarding why learning difficulties are on the list. Whether it's because they may be difficult to treat or whether for some reason they are more susceptible to severe symptoms.

I would say it would be because autistic patients are more difficult to treat surely? Providing the adult/child in question doesn't have medical conditions that make them susceptible to severe respiratory illnesses

Given the grammar, that's absolute bollocks.

As for the risk , obviously needing to be hospitalised and the type of treatment involved can be very distressing and difficult, for the person with ASD, their family and the ones treating them.

But that's presuming they get it to begin with, and secondly that they become very poorly with it.

TBH freaking people out like that and having them force their kids to stay in when they'd really struggle to understand,no fresh air,no exercise etc seems particularly cruel and weird to me.

Yes it isn't what I would expect from a doctors surgery at all

Especially as the screen shot says the text came from GPsurgery. I know when I get text messages from the surgery they do not come up under the heading that I have the surgery number stored as in my phone. The reminders are sent automatically & the text message service that they use, to tell you your prescription is at reception or to please book a blood test, does not come through the number you call them on.

I would be extremely shocked if this was true. My son is not at the mild end of the spectrum. He is classed as extremely vulnerable in educations eyes only as he is a indi sen school, has a disability SW. The only reason he is vulnerable is because he couldn't say if I was neglecting him.

Hes been offered his full time place back at school after Easter. They wouldn't want him back if he was meant to be shielding

Sounds utter bollocks to me op. So she claims she got hold of the gp who just parroted that badly written text and didnt clarify further? My dns are severely autistic and have no health problems and no need to be shielded.

Perhaps she was building up towards an extreme act of CFery.
'Oh, we can't get out, can someone go to Tesco for me'
'I can't pay, I'm not able to go out to the cash point'

My daughter attends a special needs school for autistic children and they only closed when all the mainstream schools did so if autistic children are somehow at some hugely increased risk its news to me

It looks nowhere near official.
My DH is part of a team that provides 24/7 care for severely autistic young adults and children.
His company has been given authorisation to continue taking them outside be it a short drive with minimal staff or a short walk for exercise because there's no option to explain and reason as they don't understand. So if this was true then surely the paperwork my dh has would not exist.
My niece is autistic too and at no point has my sister been told to shield her. She does understand a little about CV so is quite happy to stay indoors anyway.

If fake though what a cruel thing to do. Targeting families of children who are probably already struggling to deal with isolating in a very different way to the general population. People are very odd

I'm glad you've been reassured.

The list the helpful PP posted about the vulnerable high risk group lists neuromuscular disorders which my teen ds has alongside asd.

A breakdown on a neuro webpage linked to on a closed FB group for his actual condition says it's moderate to low risk as it doesn't affect the lungs etc.

Ds is also A blood group which I've heard can cause more illness.

So obviously I'm cautious with him and I'm not taking him into supermarkets etc.

But the things they are posting from nhs etc are always going to be the worst case scenarios because a) the risk is statistically greater and b) they can't write a detailed report for each diagnosis and each different presentation of the diagnosis.