People with autism tend to die decades younger than the rest of the population, and more needs doing to understand the problem’s causes and to find potential solutions, says a new report from the charity Autistica.
Autistica’s report,1 drawing on recently published research in Sweden, said that people with autism die 16 years sooner on average than they otherwise would, and those whose autism is combined with intellectual disability die 30 years sooner.
Death comes earlier to autistic people, whatever the proximate cause. But epilepsy, which is diagnosed in 20-40% of autistic people, is a major cause of death, especially in those whose autism is severe and combined with learning difficulties.
People with autism die 16 years earlier on average, says charity BMJ 2016;352:i1615
Deadly Discrimination against adults with autism continues in Ontario despite a new declaration of full coverage for autism for children and youth to 18. Discrimination against adults with autism is done by governments pushing 2 misrepresentations that are also advanced in the public media by some specific interest groups:
1. By pretending that autism is NOT a life shortening medical disorder.
2. By pretending that autism is a childhood condition that does not extend into adulthood.
With these 2 falsehoods already entrenched in the public imagination it is very easy for governments to ignore the realities that autism is in fact a debilitating medical disorder that shortens life expectancy by 16-30 years for those with high functioning autism (16 years) and those at the lower end of the autism spectrum (30 years). Policies aimed at providing the adult care required for so many with autism are simply non existent in Ontario, New Brunswick and most of Canada.
Deadly Discrimination against autistic adults also continues in NB. NB has been recognized internationally as a leader in early autism intervention. We have also seen education aides specifically trained in autism. But, as in Ontario autistic adults are simply ignored by our provincial governments. As in Ontario autistic adults can expect shortened life expectancy shortened by 16 to 30 years. Discrimination against autistic adults in NB is deadly.
It is impossible to say whether those with shortened life expectancy could be restored to the general average with proper care, education and treatment throughout adulthood. What is certain is that shortened life expectancy will continue if nothing is done to address the challenges of adults with autism.
At the high functioning end of the autism spectrum depression and resulting suicides are a primary cause of the reduced life expectancy. At the lower end the epilepsy and seizures that are present in a large percentage of those with autism and cognitive disability are a primary cause.
What could make a difference in either case? Access to counselling and support and intensive residential care and treatment of autism and epilepsy would certainly improve if not totally restore to general population levels the life expectancy of persons with autism disorders in NB, in Ontario, and elsewhere in Canada.
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