References

[1] https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/a-national-framework-to-deliver-improved-outcomes-in-all-age-autism-assessment-pathways-guidance-for-integrated-care-boards/

[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/getting-diagnosed/assessments/

[1] Autism and neurodiversity

[1] Rong, Ying, Chang-Jiang Yang, Ye Jin, and Yue Wang. 2021. ‘Prevalence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis’. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 83 (May): 101759. doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101759.

[1] Brimo, Katarzyna, Lisa Dinkler, Christopher Gillberg, Paul Lichtenstein, Sebastian Lundström, and Jakob Åsberg Johnels. 2021. ‘The Co-Occurrence of Neurodevelopmental Problems in Dyslexia’. Dyslexia 27 (3): 277–93. doi.org/10.1002/dys.1681.

[1] Maenner, Matthew J. 2021. ‘Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2018’. MMWR. Surveillance Summaries 70. doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7011a1

[1] https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/meeting-the-needs-of-autistic-adults-in-mental-health-services/

[1] Ward, J & Weir, E, Allison, C, Baron-Cohen, S. Increased rates of chronic physical health conditions across all organ systems in autistic adolescents and adults. Molecular Autism (2023).

[1] Katherine J. Maw, Geoff Beattie, Edwin J. Burns, Cognitive strengths in neurodevelopmental disorders, conditions and differences: A critical review, Neuropsychologia, Volume 197, 2024, 108850, ISSN 0028-3932, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108850. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393224000654)

[1] https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/autistic-strengths

[1] Doherty M, Neilson S, O'Sullivan J, Carravallah L, Johnson M, Cullen W, Shaw SCK. Barriers to healthcare and self-reported adverse outcomes for autistic adults: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2022 Feb 22;12(2):e056904. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056904. PMID: 35193921; PMCID: PMC8883251. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/2/e056904

[1] https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/news/education-report-2023

[1] Autistica (2022). Awareness isn’t enough: understanding is critical to acceptance. autistica.org.uk/news/attitudes-index-news

[1] Cage E, Di Monaco J, Newell V. Experiences of Autism Acceptance and Mental Health in Autistic Adults. J Autism Dev Disord. 2018 Feb;48(2):473-484. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3342-7. PMID: 29071566; PMCID: PMC5807490.

[1] See, for example: Connolly SE, Constable HL, Mullally SL. School distress and the school attendance crisis: a story dominated by neurodivergence and unmet need. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Sep 22;14:1237052. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237052. PMID: 37810599; PMCID: PMC10556686.

[1] For more on accountability and culture, see: https://www.autism-alliance.org.uk/doing-the-right-thing

[1] https://www.ipsea.org.uk/blog/the-myth-of-needing-a-diagnosis-before-you-can-get-support

[1] See: https://theautisticadvocate.com/autistic-masking/; Five ways staff can humanise mental health care for autistic people | BPS

[1] Connolly SE, Constable HL, Mullally SL. School distress and the school attendance crisis: a story dominated by neurodivergence and unmet need. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Sep 22;14:1237052. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237052. PMID: 37810599; PMCID: PMC10556686; Hassan Mansour, Suman Kurana, Aphrodite Eshetu, Sarah Hoare, Celine El Baou, Isabelle Arnold, Clemence Halys, Gavin R. Stewart, Roopal Desai, Amber John, Will Mandy, Elizabeth O’Nions, Joshua Stott, Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in autistic children or young people (CYP) and adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Clinical Psychology Review, Volume 120, 2025, 102621, ISSN 0272-7358, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102621.

[1] Pryke-Hobbes A, Davies J, Heasman B, Livesey A, Walker A, Pellicano E, et al. (2023) The workplace masking experiences of autistic, non-autistic neurodivergent and neurotypical adults in the UK. PLoS ONE 18(9): e0290001. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0290001

[1] Sandin S, Lichtenstein P, Kuja-Halkola R, Hultman C, Larsson H, Reichenberg A. The Heritability of Autism Spectrum Disorder. JAMA. 2017 Sep 26;318(12):1182-1184. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.12141. PMID: 28973605; PMCID: PMC5818813.

[1] Autism prevalence, UK, 2020, ONS; also studies by Baird et al., 2006; Tromans et al., 2018; McConkey, 2020; Roman-Urrestarazu et al, 2021, O’Nions et al, 2023

[1] Sheikh J, Allotey J, Sobhy S, Plana M N, Martinez-Barros H, Naidu H et al. Maternal paracetamol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring: umbrella review of systematic reviews BMJ 2025; 391 :e088141 doi:10.1136/bmj-2025-088141

[1] Russell G, Stapley S, Newlove-Delgado T, Salmon A, White R, Warren F, Pearson A, Ford T. Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population-based cohort study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Jun;63(6):674-682. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13505. Epub 2021 Aug 19. PMID: 34414570.

[1] https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg142/resources/2021-surveillance-of-autism-nice-guidelines-cg128-cg142-and-cg170-pdf-11846121650629 Also see https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm

[1] https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/12053-more-people-uk-are-aware-autism

[1] O'Nions E, Petersen I, Buckman JEJ, Charlton R, Cooper C, Corbett A, Happé F, Manthorpe J, Richards M, Saunders R, Zanker C, Mandy W, Stott J. Autism in England: assessing underdiagnosis in a population-based cohort study of prospectively collected primary care data. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2023 Apr 3;29:100626. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100626. PMID: 37090088; PMCID: PMC10114511.

[1] Aarushi Bhargava, Chris Ashwin, Barriers and facilitators towards an autism diagnosis for females within healthcare: A thematic analysis of interviews with UK healthcare professionals, Research in Autism, Volumes 121–122, 2025, 202547, ISSN 3050-6565, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2025.202547.

[1] O'Nions E, Petersen I, Buckman JEJ, Charlton R, Cooper C, Corbett A, Happé F, Manthorpe J, Richards M, Saunders R, Zanker C, Mandy W, Stott J. Autism in England: assessing underdiagnosis in a population-based cohort study of prospectively collected primary care data. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2023 Apr 3;29:100626. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100626. PMID: 37090088; PMCID: PMC10114511.

[1] Roman-Urrestarazu A, van Kessel R, Allison C, Matthews FE, Brayne C, Baron-Cohen S. Association of Race/Ethnicity and Social Disadvantage With Autism Prevalence in 7 Million School Children in England. JAMA Pediatr. 2021;175(6):e210054. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0054

[1] See https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments/adjustments-for-neurodiversity; https://autisticgirlsnetwork.org/reasonable-adjustments-possible-at-school/

[1] Introducing Autism - Autism Understood

[1] Murray D, Milton D, Green J, Bervoets J. The Human Spectrum: A Phenomenological Enquiry within Neurodiversity. Psychopathology. 2023;56(3):220-230. doi: 10.1159/000526213. Epub 2022 Sep 30. PMID: 36183692.

[1] Green J (2022) Autism as emergent and transactional. Front. Psychiatry 13:988755. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.988755

[1] Litman, A., Sauerwald, N., Green Snyder, L. et al. Decomposition of phenotypic heterogeneity in autism reveals underlying genetic programs. Nat Genet 57, 1611–1619 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02224-z

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