Today is World Autism Awareness Day, or Autism Acceptance Day as many of us would prefer it to be – most people are aware in some capacity that autism exists. But actually, in the current global situation, awareness is needed in a slightly different sense to the everyday, with discussions about coronavirus dominating and the care and support of autistic people being almost ignored, as well as how the virus is affecting us.
One of the more commonly recognised traits of many autistic people is the need for a routine, for life to be in a set way, for there to be no unexpected changes. This is something that very clearly has been torn apart by COVID-19; schools and universities have been called off likely until September, thousands of people are being laid off or furloughed, we’re stuck at home and unable to do the everyday things we normally would. Of course, that’s the same for everyone, but the impact that can have on autistic people’s mental health is so significant – it can cause meltdowns and anxiety, and the uncertainty of when it might go back to normal doesn’t help.
Something that I’ve seen discussed by a few friends that is affecting both me and my brother is the issue of panic buying, because we can’t access our safe foods. Many autistic people have a limited diet in general, or have foods that are the only ones they can eat when stressed or dealing with sensory overload. But with people buying so much that they don’t need, we can’t access them. In my house, between the two of us these include cheese toasties and tomato pasta – all the ingredients for these, of course, being some of the main things that aren’t now readily available. This issue may also be separate to panic buying, it may be that only specific brands are okay and we can’t currently get to the range of shops we might otherwise.
Government communications needs to be clearer. Vague communication and the use of soft language like “should” and “could” can be confusing for autistic people, particularly young people. Knowing clear cut rules about what can and can’t be done during this period is necessary to make sure autistic people feel safe and understand the consequences and ramifications of not only their actions but others.
As someone who has spent long periods of their life isolated due to chronic illness, as well as spent time in a mental health unit, I feel that I’m more used to this sort of situation – but that doesn’t make it easy. Autistic people are more likely to be isolated as it is, and are less likely to be able to connect to the rest of the world during this period.
The Emergency Coronavirus Bill truly threatens autistic people in multiple senses, one of them being that local authorities can be relieved of their duties and only meet the most “urgent” care needs, and this will leave so many autistic people and their families crucial care that supports them to survive. Autism does not go away during a global crisis, and although it must be recognised that the situation means that some care may be less frequent or intense, it is not okay that autistic people’s care can be completely withdrawn or their services closed.
Similarly, the Emergency Bill means that only one doctor is needed in order to section someone under the Mental Health Act. This is a significant issue in that vulnerable people are more likely to be detained unnecessarily. This applies to anyone suffering with mental illness, but it has been found to have a profound effect on autistic people with data currently showing major delays in autistic people being discharged from units, increased used of restrictive interventions (3535 in a month) and over 2000 people with a learning disability/autism in inpatient units (Source).
This bill threatens autistic people in multiple ways, and it can’t be seen as acceptable. Social care needs emergency funding now, and the alteration to the MHA is dangerous. Please don’t leave autistic people behind during your conversations about coronavirus in not only healthcare and social care, but also how you talk about the virus and the lockdown. Think about how much you’re buying, support families who you know are supporting autistic people. This World Autism Awareness (and Acceptance) Day, don’t just retweet facts about us – use it to show that you understand and support us, especially through this virus.
Charli Clement Writes 