Welcome to a CME specialist interview.  Today we speak with Professor Tony Attwood who is the adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia and has 40 years experience as a Clinical Psychologist specialising in Autism and in particular Aspergers Syndrome.

 

April is Autism awareness month.  Urgent Care clinics and Emergency Departments can be distressing places for people on the Autism Spectrum but we will often be the clinicians who treat them when they are acutely ill of injured.  Tony talks to us about why our Clinics cause distress to people with Autism, what we should be aware of and how we can mitigate some of these issues.  I hope that by the end of our talk we can all be more aware of Autism within Urgent Care Clinics and Emergency Departments and hopefully implement some of what we have discussed into your personal practice and clinic processes.

My Thanks to Professor Attwood for taking the time to talk with us.  You can read more about him at his website.

http://www.tonyattwood.com.au

Here is the going to Hospital guide from the National Autistic Society in the UK that Tony references.

https://www.autism.org.uk/about/health/hospital-passport.aspx

A couple of Tony’s Books on Asperger’s

https://www.bookdepository.com/Complete-Guide-Aspergers-Syndrome-Tony-Attwood/9781843106692?ref=grid-view&qid=1556231492593&sr=1-1

https://www.bookdepository.com/Aspergers-Syndrome-Tony-Attwood/9781853025778?ref=grid-view&qid=1556231492593&sr=1-5

Closing music – Awe-Tistic Me by Dan Bull

From his EP – A Portrait of the Autist

https://itsdanbull.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/douglby

https://www.facebook.com/itsDanBull

You can hear this verse as part of a longer song Awe-tistic by Vitiate and produced by Nuttkase

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZwAFGj1xIM&feature=youtu.be

Opening and interstitial music licensed from www.premiumbeat.com

Full Grip by Score Squad

www.rnzcuc.org.nz

podcast@rnzcuc.org.nz

https://www.facebook.com/rnzcuc

This podcast is intended to assist in ongoing medical education and peer discussion for qualified health professionals.  Please ensure you work within your scope of practice at all times.  For personal medical advice always consult your usual doctor