With 1 in 44 people now being diagnosed as autistic, there is a view that clinical environments should be "autistic friendly". However, despite this expectation, medical and dental students are rarely taught how they can make their future clinical workplaces comfortable for autistic patients. Similarly, allied health professional, such as occupational therapists and psychologists, are also not taught this information. Due to this lack of knowledge, each day countless autistics and their families are exposed to potentially stressful clinical situations that can jeopardise the delivery of effective treatment. To help mitigate this situation, this book will give university students as well as established healthcare professionals an understanding of how they can assist autistic patients in clinical settings.
This book is more than just providing strategies that aspiring and established healthcare professionals can use to make their clinical workplaces more accommodating for autistics and their families. It will also present a synopsis of the literature about the challenges and experiences that autistic patients have had in dental and medical settings. Such information can provide the reader with a greater understanding about what it is like to be autistic and receive medical and/or dental treatment. This synopsis will also illustrate the current gaps in our knowledge about this topic.
About the Author: Dr Gabriel Bennett, formerly Dr Matthew Bennett, holds a PhD in Disability Studies from Flinders University, South Australia. For his PhD he examined the life experiences of autistic adults. Specifically, he explored the education, depression, employment, and intimate relationships of adults with Asperger syndrome. He has also lectured in Disability Studies at Griffith University, Queensland. He is an active advocate for the rights of autistics and has published several books about autism and autistics, including:
1. Bennett, M., Webster, A. A., Goodall, E., & Rowland, S. (2019). Life on the autism spectrum: Translating myths and misconceptions into positive futures. Springer.
2. Bennett, M., Goodall, E., & Nugent, J. (2020). Choosing Effective Support for People on the Autism Spectrum: A Guide Based on Academic Perspectives and Lived Experience. Routledge.
3. Bennett, M., & Goodall, E. (2021). Sexual Behaviours and Relationships of Autistics: A Scoping Review. Springer International Publishing AG.
4. Bennett, M., & Goodall, E. (2021). Employment of Persons with Autism: A Scoping Review. Springer International Publishing AG.
5. Bennett, M., & Goodall, E. (2022). Addressing Underserved Populations in Autism Spectrum Research: An Intersectional Approach. Emerald Publishing Group.
6. Bennett, M., & Goodall, E. (2022). Autism and COVID-19: Strategies for Supporters to Help Autistics and Their Families. Emerald Publishing Group.
