I was diagnosed as autistic at 56
Ellen Clarke, 57, had no idea she was autistic until she reached menopause and felt like she could no longer put up a front. She says the diagnosis has been life-changing.
Autistic people often have one or more medical or mental health conditions as well as their autism diagnosis – referred to as co-occurring conditions or co-morbidities.
These range from the commonly diagnosed such as ADHD and epilepsy, to lesser-known conditions such as alexithymia, echolalia and dysgraphia.
It’s important to know if someone has a co-occurring condition so that any symptoms can be identified and treated. Or, if it’s considered to be simply part of an autistic person’s profile, it is useful to understand the impact it may have on that individual’s life.
Here’s our comprehensive A-Z of co-occurring conditions and what they mean.
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