4 news items this week
The Dutch Knowledge Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Dutch Autism Association are revising the national autism care standard. New is the explicit attention to adults who receive a late diagnosis and the associated risk of burnout. The update aims to move away from a purely child-focused approach, advocating for continuous support across the lifespan.
Following signals from advocacy groups, parliamentary questions have been filed about the availability of reasonable workplace accommodations for neurodivergent employees. The questions cover noise in open-plan offices, enforcement of existing legislation, and employers' lack of awareness. The topic is gaining political visibility.
A large cohort study in The Lancet Psychiatry shows that autistic adults who mask more report significantly higher anxiety and depression scores, regardless of IQ or gender. The researchers argue for screening instruments that account for masking, as standard questionnaires underestimate symptom severity in this group.
The UK's NICE has published an updated care pathway for autistic adults, emphasising personal choice, minimal waiting times, and integrating autism knowledge across mental health services. Notable is the recommendation to include sensory profiles as standard in treatment plans. For the Netherlands, it serves as a useful benchmark while the national care standard is being revised.
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