Health
Autism
Getting a diagnosis
Autism can impact how a person communicates, interacts with others and/or how they process their surroundings. According to the National Autistic Society, it is estimated that around 700,000 children and adults in the UK are autistic.
Some additional challenges faced by autistic individuals include sensory processing difficulties which can result in over or under-sensitivity to light, sound,smell, touch and/or taste. Some may experience very high levels of anxiety, meltdowns and difficulty to regulate.
For more information visit NHS Signs of Autism in Children
If you think your child may be autistic, please speak to either your:
- GP
- Health visitor
- Child’s education setting, in particular the special education needs coordinator (SENCO)
For detailed information and advice visit the National Autistic Society Webpage
Depending on the characteristics of the autistic child/adult, they may benefit from additional support from Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational therapists, Educational Psychologists and/or health visitors. Your GP or Paediatrician can further advise on this.
In autumn 2019, a new taskforce was set up in the NHS to improve current specialist children and young people’s inpatient mental health, autism and learning disability services in England.
Annual Health Checks for learning disability
NHS GPs in England provide annual health checks for people with learning disabilities. To be eligible for these the person must be over 14 years of age and be on the learning disability register for the practice.
Annual Health Checks can help to identify any unaddressed health needs of the person.
At SEND Aid our team are happy to advise and direct you on appropriate professionals to involve in the care of your SEND child. Please use the ‘Contact Us’ page of this website to request support.