I am the mother of a 37-year-old son diagnosed with autism and Crohn’s disease. He also has serious intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), requiring round-the-clock care and support. I also have a medical history of PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and took fertility medication to conceive him. For years, I have watched the autism diagnosis rate climb while public discourse remained fixated on single causes or stigmatizing narratives. But we are …

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In September 2023, President Biden announced health care provider training, allocating over $8 million through 18 awards to train primary care medical students, physician assistant students, and medical residents in providing culturally and linguistically appropriate care for individuals with limited English proficiency, as well as those with physical or intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Individuals with severe and profound autism deserve special consideration when it comes to accommodating their health care needs, …

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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that health care entities provide full and equal access for people with disabilities. Physicians must diagnose and treat such individuals, even though they receive little or no training in medical school. It’s tricky when the patient cannot convey where it hurts or describe their pain and may refuse to cooperate with medical procedures.

Many physicians have refused to take on my 35-year-old son, who …

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