AUTISM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2025 COMMENT

Bad news The re-emergence of old bad ideas such as that vaccines cause autism (they don’t!) is concerning. Parents of newly diagnosed children are highly vulnerable to misinformation and lies. More

Sound aloud After John Harris’s son was diagnosed, conversation always seemed focused on the things he would struggle with. But a shared passion for playing music grew into something James could do – brilliantly More

Investing in autism Developing service models to support autistic people could improve quality of life and generate substantial social and economic benefits for the UK, according to a report from the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) at LSE. More

Poverty trap Parents of autistic children are being pushed into poverty and forced to leave work because they are not receiving enough educational support for their children, according to new research from Ambitious about Autism. More

Locked up An autistic woman with a learning disability was wrongly locked up in a mental health hospital for 45 years, starting when she was just seven years old. More
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Seizures and autism Epilepsy can often be accompanied by other conditions, and one of those is autism. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says that epilepsy is more common in autistic people, affecting 20-30%. More

Talking Talkers A family of a six-year-old boy who is autistic and non-verbal said his "world is about to change" thanks to a new communication device. Dan Harris, from Peterborough, raised funds for 200 devices called Talkers. He said the software had been "life-changing" for his 10-year-old son Joshie. More
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Skills on the menu A new café and hub in a Teesside shopping centre is serving up life skills and career opportunities for young people with autism and ADHD. More