Doctors Need Autism Sensitivity Training

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Yeah, they do.

Seeing as so many are diagnosed, it's about time they learned how to handle it.
I was in the doctor's office today, and the wait was REALLY LONG. I was already feeling bad, but I felt a shutdown coming on because of all the stimulation in the room (tv, people talking, uncomfortable clothes, sick body, people writing, drinking, chewing gum, and on and on). Shutdowns mean that I lose my ability to speak.

Not good when you're seeing a doctor.

By the time they brought me in, I couldn't get words out. I had to write it on a piece of paper, (that I'm autistic, stressed, and can't talk) and while the nurse was kind about it, she didn't get it.
She asked if she could pray for me. "Um...ok. This is going to be interesting," I thought. I'm all for prayer, but if you would just do your job and leave me alone I would be fine.
So she puts her hand on my shoulder, really really firmly, and starts rubbing my arm and praying in my ear super loudly. Of course, I'm going to turn away so that it doesn't hurt my ear. That makes her pray louder. She keeps rubbing my arm. I just want it to end.
After she finishes praying, she throws away the note (instead of leaving it for the doctor to see so that I don't have to go through the same thing again) and because I'm stimming by bouncing my leg she asks if I'm ok again. Yes, I'm fine. I'm just autistic and you just stressed me out and I need to get rid of it by bouncing my leg.

I appreciate the kindness and good will, but....
Grrrr....

Sensitivity training 101: - Don't touch unless we initiate
- Don't pummel with questions
- Don't overwhelm us by talking fast
- Don't expect us to respond quickly.
- Understand what stimming is and don't point it out unless you need to.

She should have kept the prayer briefer and softer.

And I agree that stimming is usually functional and I wish people were more matter-of-fact about it, too. I mean, quote-unquote 'normal' people stim, too, but somehow the way they do it is viewed as more socially acceptable (no such thing as 'normal' anyway and how boring the world would be if there were! )

In my experience in the UK, they could do with autism training fullstop. They haven't got a clue.

My GP rang me once and spoke down to me like I was some little old lady with alzheimers, you know the condescending, slow voice as if he was talking to someone not in full possession of their faculties!

Still, when I had to go to a professionals meeting at the GP's surgery regarding my daughter's autism, he sat there without anything to contribute because he clearly didn't know anything about autism, and there was I conversing with the professionals using relevant terminology. He plainly felt like a spare part, as all he could pipe up at one juncture was to ask me if my vertigo was better!