“The Best Medicine Is Respect!” Creating a Supportive Healthcare Environment for Nonspeakers

• By: Rosemary Corcoran, MS, OTR/L Hannah Facey, MD Jefferson FAB Center for Complex Care, Thomas Jefferson University Sarah Ackerman Self-Advocate
• July 9th, 2026
• augmentative alternative communication, autism advocacy, healthcare access, healthcare barriers, medical providers, nonspeaking autism, patient communication, presumed competence, Summer 2026 Issue
• 76    0

For around 30% of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), verbal speech is limited, unreliable, or unavailable (Jaswal et al., 2026). Autistic people who are nonspeaking use a variety of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate; this includes picture-based systems,...

Building a Healthcare Transition Program for Autistic Patients Entering Adulthood

• By: Carrin E. Schottler-Thal, MD Albany Medical Center
• October 4th, 2024
• adults, Fall 2024 Issue, healthcare, healthcare barriers, transition planning
• 2499    0

The rise in the diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder in youth will mean a rise in the number of adolescents transitioning to adult medical care. 50,000 youth with autism are estimated to enter adulthood each year (Rast et al., 2020) with varying degrees of communication skills, adaptive...

Filling the Gaps in Healthcare: The Vital Role of Information Sharing for Individuals with Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

• By: Karen Lindgren, PhD Bancroft Sally A. French, MSN, APN, PMHNP-BC Cooper University Hospital
• April 12th, 2024
• care coordination, collaborative approach, communication, environment, healthcare barriers, sensory issues, sensory-friendly, Spring 2024 Issue
• 2931    0

Wading through the complex landscape of healthcare for individuals with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their caregivers can be frustrating, often hindered by a variety of barriers unique to this population. While systematic and overwhelming, these challenges are...