Autism: Educating the Medical Community

Autism: Educating the Medical Community

When you think of medical professionals, the typical adjectives are intelligent, conscientious, dedicated, personable and well-read. For the most part, this is an accurate representation of most people who work in the medical community. However, when treating and managing patients diagnosed with autism, many physicians, therapists, and others have limited knowledge or experience. Unfortunately, in many ways autism remains an isolated disorder unless there is personal involvement through family or community. Medical professionals, like the rest of society, must learn how to interact with members of the autism community and their families. Most formal curricula address autism by providing support programs for students on the spectrum and, in some cases, providing on-call and placement services.

There is a significant decline in attention to adults with autism – perhaps no more glaring than the medical community. There have been reports of misdiagnosis of patients with autism due to poor communication and lack of experience treating patients who exhibit different behaviors than typical patients. Given the variety of behaviors on the autism spectrum, it should come as no surprise that some physicians simply get lost when dealing with autistic patients. TIP: People with autism won't always tell you what's wrong with them. Some patients cannot identify, let alone articulate, the nature of their complaint. Because of sensory issues, some people with autism cannot tell the difference between a dull ache or a sharp stabbing pain. Additionally, some have difficulty pinpointing where pain or discomfort is coming from due to constant tingling or other physical sensations. Explaining what's going on with your body to a stranger in an environment where there are unusual noises, smells, and other people can be extremely stressful. The challenge is only exacerbated if the patient is nonverbal or has minimal verbal capacity.

To determine the cause of the disconnect between autism and the medical community, we must first examine the current state of healthcare. At the same time, forces are brewing to make this arguably the most difficult time in history for physicians, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). The results of a study conducted by the AAMC in April 2018 showed that there will be a shortage of 120,000 physicians by 2030. The main factors driving this trend are an aging population, healthcare management and reduction in working hours by doctors. We are aware of the aging population in developed countries around the world and the enormous task of providing adequate healthcare. Furthermore, managed care has long been discussed both in very favorable terms and viewed as a catalyst for everything that is wrong with modern healthcare. The third reason mentioned above is somewhat surprising as a driving factor contributing to the physician shortage. The study, conducted by the AAMC, concluded that work-life balance is a key reason many younger professionals leave their medical careers or seek alternative employment opportunities. Additionally, the crushing debt load that many new doctors carry upon leaving medical school is a major concern for new perspectives. However, not all challenges associated with training and retaining physicians are industry-related.

Researchers predict that the US population will grow by 11% by 2030. It will be particularly interesting to determine where future growth will occur and what impact it will have on healthcare. People aged 18 and younger will only grow by 3% over the same period, while those aged 65 and over will grow by 50%. Even more discouraging is the fact that adults aged 75 and over will increase by 69%. Given these staggering numbers when it comes to the general population, is there any wonder how worrying future healthcare is? Even more poignantly, current healthcare trends ignore the emotional and psychological needs of autistic adults. Parents meet many of these needs, but adults on the spectrum are largely misunderstood by members of the medical community. This is not an indictment of doctors, but rather a reality check.

Maintaining a successful medical practice or working in a facility requires a lot of care and a balance between stress and responsibility. One of the consequences of living in an aging society is adaptations at various levels. As aging boomers move toward assisted living and nursing homes, children with special needs will interact with other members of society representing the long-term care, financial services, healthcare and housing sectors. Doctors will see more patients on the autism spectrum as we move along the continuum. Learning to communicate effectively with the autism community and discovering the nuances of autism will be an essential part of patient care. To achieve this goal, we all need to learn new skills and be open-minded. Fortunately, both the healthcare and autism communities rely heavily on technology to support all aspects of life. Sharing technology can be the optimal place to build a long, respectful relationship.

Inspired by George David Williams