Aut_Scot

Some autism related shows at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Autism Mama: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/autism-mama BENCHES: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/benches Betsy Carroll's Slippery When Wet: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/betsy-carroll-s-slippery-when-wet Brrr: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/brrr Caligula: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/caligula Cerys Bradley: On Road Signs WIP: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/cerys-bradley-on-road-signs-wip Disciples of Anatomy: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/disciples-of-anatomy Eryn Tett: Tasting Menu: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/eryn-tett-tasting-menu Grace Jarvis: Getting Dragged Backwards Through a Hedge: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/grace-jarvis-getting-dragged-backwards-through-a-hedge Make Me Good Again: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/make-me-good-again McVea and Rea Go Away: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/mcvea-and-rea-go-away Paul Dennis: Title Explained In Blurb – The Musical. Well… sort of.: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/paul-dennis-title-explained-in-blurb-the-musical-well-sort-of

Article seen online titled "Is Autism Definition Too Broad to Be Useful?": "The definition of autism may have become so wide that it risks confusion and even misdiagnosis, according to a new editorial by UCL Professor Dame Uta Frith, whose pioneering research in the 1960s and 70s lay the foundations for how we understand autism. Autism is currently diagnosed as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - a single condition that includes a huge range of people, from those needing round-the-clock care to those who live independently. In Dame Uta's editorial, published in Psychological Medicine, she argues that this "spectrum" may now be too broad to be useful. ... ": https://www.miragenews.com/is-autism-definition-too-broad-to-be-useful-1721107/

In the UK Government's new report titled "Young people and work: interim report", autism gets quite a few mentions: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-people-and-work-interim-report/young-people-and-work-interim-report

Some recent autism related petitions on the UK Government petitions web site: "Require all schools to carry out autism, ADHD & dyslexia testing": https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/766238 "Neurodiversity: Fund police training, review of police custody & data collection": https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/768251

Some recent autism related petitions on the UK Government and Parliament petitions web site: "Review availability and speed of access to Right to Choose autism assessments": https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/766368 "Make neurodiversity education a mandatory part of the national curriculum": https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/765048

Article by an academic seen online, titled "A five‑day course of magnetic brain stimulation could help autistic children communicate better""Schools aren’t designed for autistic children – these are the sensory challenges they face": https://theconversation.com/a-five-day-course-of-magnetic-brain-stimulation-could-help-autistic-children-communicate-better-280623

Article by an academic seen online, titled "Schools aren’t designed for autistic children – these are the sensory challenges they face": https://theconversation.com/schools-arent-designed-for-autistic-children-these-are-the-sensory-challenges-they-face-273498

Seen online an article by an academic seen online, titled "Autistic people seem to feel joy differently – here’s what it can tell us about neurodivergence": https://theconversation.com/autistic-people-seem-to-feel-joy-differently-heres-what-it-can-tell-us-about-neurodivergence-273403

Article seen online, titled "Autistic dogs? Neurodiversity in our pets and what it might mean for us" : https://theconversation.com/autistic-dogs-neurodiversity-in-our-pets-and-what-it-might-mean-for-us-265888

Seen on BBC news website, article titled "Adults with learning disabilities die 20 years early, report finds People with learning disabilities and autism in England are dying almost 20 years younger than the rest of the population, a long-awaited report has said. The annual mortality review commissioned by NHS England, external was originally meant to be published last year but faced repeated delays. It found 39% of deaths of people with learning disabilities and autism were classed as avoidable in 2023, almost twice as high as the general population. ... ": https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c939311dpn1o

Seen online an article titled "Why dating can be tough for autistic people – and what may make it easier": https://theconversation.com/why-dating-can-be-tough-for-autistic-people-and-what-may-make-it-easier-257534

Some autism related shows at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe: "Eccentrics Return – Guerilla Autistics Show Year 11 CANCELLED" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/eccentrics-return-guerilla-autistics-show-year-11-cancelled "I'm Autistic – A New Musical" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/i-m-autistic-a-new-musical "Cerys Bradley's Queer Tales for Autistic Folk" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/cerys-bradley-s-queer-tales-for-autistic-folk "1290.5 Steps to Autistic Success – Kittenageddon (Sidequests and ... " https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/1290-5-steps-to-autistic-success-kittenageddon-sidequests-and-buffering "Moving On... Really, Really Slowly" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/moving-on-really-really-slowly "Tides (An Autism Story)" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/tides-an-autism-story "Simon Harriyott: Autastic" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/simon-harriyott-autastic "My Life as an "Inspirational ... " https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/my-life-as-an-inspirational-porn-star "Hidden Powers" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/hidden-powers "Cartoonopolis" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/cartoonopolis "Ted Hill: 110 Percent Normal" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/ted-hill-110-percent-normal "Bitter Baby" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/bitter-baby "Morgan Rees: Work in Progress" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/morgan-rees-work-in-progress "Jain Edwards: She-Devil" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/jain-edwards-she-devil "Alice-India: See You In Hell" https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/alice-india-see-you-in-hell

Some recent autism related petitions on the UK Government and Parliament petitions website: "Require autism-friendly interview adjustments and sensory-friendly jobs": https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/728699 "Make a new business grant scheme for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs": https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730964

New radio comedy show on Radio 4 on Thursdays at 18:30 hours, starring Ashley Blaker who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD in 2023. The programme is called "Ashley Blaker's Hyperfixations": https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002f9g7

Interesting article online called "Everyone isn’t ‘a little bit autistic’ – here’s why this notion is harmful" https://theconversation.com/everyone-isnt-a-little-bit-autistic-heres-why-this-notion-is-harmful-256129

BBC 2 series titled "Inside our minds" has programmes about various neurodivergent things such as dyslexia and ADHD. See link below for details: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bbnh47 Also available on iPlayer.

A programme in five, fifteen minute episodes on Radio 4 titled "The Autism Curve", link below: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m002bswl Available on BBC Sounds and also it says on Radio 4 at 13:45 hours each day, on the week begining Monday 5th May 2025.

Interesting article seen recently titled "What autistic people think should be prioritised in education for autistic learners" https://theconversation.com/what-autistic-people-think-should-be-prioritised-in-education-for-autistic-learners-250195

Interesting article about autistic stimming titled "Autistic stimming explained – and why stopping it can lead to burnout": https://theconversation.com/autistic-stimming-explained-and-why-stopping-it-can-lead-to-burnout-252088

A "File on 4 Investigates" radio programme titled "Locked up: Woman held in mental health facility for 45 years" in which reporter Carolyn Atkinson asks why so many autistic people and/or those with a learning disability, including children, are still locked up and why successive governments have failed to meet their promises to move people from hospital to home. "File on four" documentary will be broadcast tonight 4th March 2025 on Radio 4 at 20:00hrs. It will also be available at the following link, for over a year: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0028jmh

Seen on BBC news site "Autistic woman wrongly locked up in mental health hospital for 45 years An autistic woman with a learning disability was wrongly locked up in a mental health hospital for 45 years, starting when she was just seven years old, the BBC has learned. ..." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly43png991o

Autism related petition open (until 25th August 2025) on the UK Government website by Kael Hopkinson called "Ban Applied Behaviour Analysis Therapy designed to reduce Autistic Stimming" the text of which is "The Government should ban Applied Behaviour Analysis Therapy (“ABA”), for the purpose of reducing soothing “stimming” behaviours in people with autism spectrum disorder. Reports indicate that people with autism spectrum disorder call ABA therapy “abusive” or “traumatic” and some may have c-PTSD as a result. Furthermore, research from the US Department of Defence concluded that ABA is not significantly improving outcomes.". The petition can be found at the link below: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/711392

An neurodivergence related petition created by Laura Charlton, called "Fund more training for teachers on neurodivergence" is currently open on the UK Government website: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/708958

Interesting article seen on the BBC website about a former church minister who was diagnosed with autism in his late fifties, "Former church minister creates art reflecting on his autism": https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyplxe6069o Some of Keith's art: https://keithdruryart.com/neurodiversity

All the best in 2025 for you Gold MD and all the other users of this forum.