Autistic Australians struggle to access routine healthcare. Medical workers' lack of training could be to blame

By bobb |

Sam Nichols

Chantel Le Cross remembers the first time they felt heard in an emergency room.

It was only two months ago.

The 33-year-old, who is selective non-verbal autistic, was rushed to hospital in September in intense pain. An endometrial cyst wrapped around one of their fallopian tubes had ruptured.

Because Chantel was screaming in agony, they say workers were able to understand their suffering. But that level of attention isn't typical.

Mainstream Australian classrooms 'not prepared' to educate the expanding cohort of autistic students

By bobb |

By Ashleigh Keating

Connor Winfield was a gifted student, so no one could understand why he found school so difficult.

Key points:

  • Autism is the fastest growing disability in Australia, having increased by 25 per cent between 2015 and 2019
  • Mainstream teachers often lack the training and resources to cater for the needs of neurodiverse students
  • Experts and advocates are calling for autism-specific training to be mandatory for teachers

"I would bet that most of my teachers did not understand what autism was," he said.

Almost two years after a referral, Mariam’s son is finally getting the help he needs

By bobb |

By Amber Schultz

It took Mariam Mukhtar nearly two years to have her teenage son Raamiz assessed for autism following a paediatric referral, and she fears the delay in getting him support has cost him his high school experience.

“Having support at the right time … that would have been a life-changing experience,” she said.

NDIS - not the only lifeboat for Autistic Australians

By convenor |

From the outset as Minister for the NDIS, The Hon. Bill Shorten MP, said (15/6/2022):

The NDIS will not fulfil the promise if it is the only lifeboat in the ocean for people living with disability.

Minister Shorten is increasingly concerned in relation to Autistic Australians needing NDIS support. He’s used this analogy repeatedly since then.

Disability advocate hits back at ‘misleading’ claims that NDIS funding is incentivising autism diagnoses

By bobb |

Stephanie Convery

Chief of Children and Young People with Disability Australia says families are simply seeking help for their children, with the NDIS ‘the only place to turn’

An advocate for people with disabilities has criticised as “unhelpful” and “misleading” reports suggesting families are pursuing autism diagnoses because they see the NDIS as a financial opportunity.