A recent study showed that adults with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and other mental illnesses are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and having more severe cases of the virus. Based on my brother’s experience, I know one reason why: ableism.
“He needs sedation!” Mom explained to the medical team. “He is not going to tolerate you placing an IV. He may hurt someone!”
My brother has limited verbal ability, so Mom spoke for him. The medical team tried to place the intravenous line anyway. My brother immediately began defending himself, hitting a nurse and scratching the physician. A medical tech walked by the hospital room, his beady blue eyes landing on my chestnut-skinned brother with a sneer. The medical tech did not see a struggling man with autism spectrum disorder—my brother—he saw a problem. “You need any help, doc?” asked the medical tech poking his head through the doorway. “No, we’re okay here,” the doctor responded. My brother froze mid-struggle. His deep brown eyes rested on the blue eyes of the medical tech. “Help, please,” my brother said clearly.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]
When patients with autism access the medical system, it often fails them, as it does my brother. Physicians fail to give them the support they need to feel safe, and staff fail to give them the compassion they deserve. When I became a doctor, I watched colleagues sigh when a patient with autism was admitted. “Ugh, this is going to be a lot of work.” “Yes,” I replied, frowning at my colleague. “Yes, it is.” 2.2 % of adults currently have autism spectrum disorder. 1 in 3 people with autism have a severe form—and are minimally verbal—yet severe forms of autism have been understudied. Adults with severe autism are even less studied, as the majority of research studies focus on children and adolescents with autism, leaving adults out of the picture. Patients with autism are more likely to have other medical and psychiatric illnesses, some of which could…
Source : time
