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Doctor stated that Autism is not a medical condition.

asrcool

Hi.

I have Aspergers and yesterday an occupational health doctor stated to me that Autism is not a medical condition and as such does not warrant any workplace adjustments.

I am outraged by this and very confused, can anybody clarify if this is correct? 

Remploy have asked for a few minor adjustments at work, given my difficulties, however my workplace referred me to the occupational health doctor for clarification and the doctor just played down any difficulty that I had.

He is writing a report to my workplace stating these things and I am most upset about it.

Can anybody tell me if this is correct and if it is not, can anybody point me in the direction of a website/information that clearly proves the doctor wrong? I am currently getting a letter together to send to him/his manager to complain.

Thanks.

Parents

  • So people who are currently managing and don't need intervention shouldn't be diagnosed? Even if giving them a diagnosis would help them manage their lives better. Indeed if giving them a diagnosis might relieve them of interventions for the wrong diagnosis previously

    Also while I find the barriers to diagnosis and support, currently in the system, are disadvantaging many people, I can understand how some of the health professionals' odd ideas come about.

    To them some of the issues experienced by people on the autistic spectrum don't count as disability, rightly or wrongly. That I think is why health professionals seem to think they've solved the problems with a bit of medication or CBT, and the person on the spectrum they suppose ought now to be able to manage.

    Often what is being treated as autistic spectrum is depression and OCD, unless other direct characteristics are clearly disabling. Professionals don't seem to understand how restrictive are the difficulties with social interface and environment. So they pronounce someone "cured" and able to manage in the community without proper understanding that the individual is suffering ongoing damage.

    Therefore there is a case for separating "difference" as you call it (which lets face it is a lot more restrictive and disadvantageous than just difference) and "disability" (actual clinical impairment). As long as health professionals underrate the former, they'll keep on assuming some pills and some CBT is all many of us need.

Reply

  • So people who are currently managing and don't need intervention shouldn't be diagnosed? Even if giving them a diagnosis would help them manage their lives better. Indeed if giving them a diagnosis might relieve them of interventions for the wrong diagnosis previously

    Also while I find the barriers to diagnosis and support, currently in the system, are disadvantaging many people, I can understand how some of the health professionals' odd ideas come about.

    To them some of the issues experienced by people on the autistic spectrum don't count as disability, rightly or wrongly. That I think is why health professionals seem to think they've solved the problems with a bit of medication or CBT, and the person on the spectrum they suppose ought now to be able to manage.

    Often what is being treated as autistic spectrum is depression and OCD, unless other direct characteristics are clearly disabling. Professionals don't seem to understand how restrictive are the difficulties with social interface and environment. So they pronounce someone "cured" and able to manage in the community without proper understanding that the individual is suffering ongoing damage.

    Therefore there is a case for separating "difference" as you call it (which lets face it is a lot more restrictive and disadvantageous than just difference) and "disability" (actual clinical impairment). As long as health professionals underrate the former, they'll keep on assuming some pills and some CBT is all many of us need.

Children
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