Vaccines/learning disabilities: eligibility

I had my jab today and this conversation. 

Nurse: why have you been invited?

Me: no idea.

Nurse: you must know.

Me: well I don't.  It may be that I am autistic. 

Nurse looks it up in a book.

Then: I think it's the autism even though you are obviously very high functioning. 

Me thinks: you won't think that if I slap you.

Nurse: it comes under neurological conditions. 

However.... I looked it up and it says 'disease' not 'condition'.

Then: I think it's the autism even though you are obviously very high functioning. 

Me thinks: you won't think that if I slap you.

I'm tempted to wish you had. I hate it when people make assumptions about functioning.

An autistic person may be able to function well in one environment but completely unable to function in another, like an medical appointment for instance. There are good reasons why functioning labels are not usually assigned during the diagnostic process in the UK 

You shouldn't have had to face the Spanish Inquisition about why you were there when they invited you. As if the appointment isn't stressful enough without having to endure that.

Once you'd mentioned the autism the nurse could have apologised for not noticing that on your records and asked how they could make the process easier for you.

You are right that autism isn't a disease. If the medical professionals don't understand their own guidelines what hope is there for us.

Yep to everything you say ... no wonder it's so traumatic having anything medical done ...

Yep to everything you say ... no wonder it's so traumatic having anything medical done ...