A family in Scotland shares their experience navigating the NHS system to secure an autism diagnosis for their children, highlighting the growing demand and challenges faced by those seeking support.
As a child, William Butchart enjoyed neatly lining up building blocks according to colour - something he now sees as a 'stereotype' of autism. The things he found to be challenging, and often distressing, about the condition were very different. William felt unable to follow social 'norms' - he struggled to make friendships or understand 'banter'. He also experienced a number of sensory issues. Certain textures and foods were unbearable and sudden, loud noises could overwhelm him with fear.
But as he got older, William says he learned to 'blend into the background', effectively masking his autistic behaviours.William's son, who is non-verbal, was two when he was diagnosed and his daughter was only identified as autistic after she had a mental health crisis at age 13. Learning more about his children's condition, church minister William realised they all shared problems with noise and had very restricted diets. He and his son eat only 'beige' foods.'I couldn't leave it to just how I feel – I needed somebody to actually assess it,' he said.Autism is a lifelong developmental condition which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Some find it difficult to understand how others think or feel, while others experience sensory issues - meaning bright lights or loud noises can be overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable. There are at least 56,000 autistic people in Scotland, both children and adults, plus an estimated 225,000 family members and carers. According to the Scottish government, there has been a 'significant increase in referrals' - which is putting pressure on an already-stretched NHS.The 41-year-old from Ellon, Aberdeenshire, had initially pursued an investigation through the NHS but found the process difficult and knew the wait was long. 'You have to fight with your GP,' he said. 'You have to prove you might be autistic before you can even get on the pathway'
Auτισм DIAGNOSIS NHS FAMILY SCOTLAND
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