Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
I’m an undiagnosed autistic who’s looking to go scuba diving. This isn’t something that will affect it particularly however I have what I believe to be an autistic shutdown on my record from 2019, but at the time it was written off as an absence seizure. All test results came back fine but the diving doctor said there was too much neurological concern over what it could be if not a seizure.
I know this is a very specific query but does anybody have any advice on what to do? You can’t commercially dive until at least 10 years after a ‘seizure’ and I was hoping to start much sooner.
That's a tough one
Two suggestions
1 Get a formal autism diagnosis. See your GP and get referred. There may be a wait but it will be less than 10 years. It would force reconsideration of whatever affected you.
2 Get the opinion of a second dive doctor.
Hi, thanks so much for your suggestions! The second opinion would be a really great idea.however, I’ve been referred before and recently got back from my local clinic that they did not have sufficient evidence to go forwards, so I’m not super sure where to go with that at the moment. The career I’d like to be involved in also includes some diving in relatively extreme conditions and whilst I know companies have discrimination policies I worry that they would think autism could affect the safety of an isolated team if I couldn’t do something (not a personal concern, just an outlook I know people often have). Still though, thank you very much!