Autism and your health
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition and autistic people vary greatly in their support needs. Advice is available on how to access everyday health services and specialist services if you need extra support.
Health and Social Care
In Northern Ireland, the National Health Service (NHS) is referred to as Health and Social Care (HSC).
It provides social care services such as:
- home care services
- family and children’s services
- day care services
- social work services
Health services
Further information on how to find and use health services is available including:
If you are disabled or need extra support, including sensory and mobility support, further healthcare advice is available at:
Social care
Information on arranging health and social care, including assessments is available at:
Support for carers is also available at:
Specialist health professionals
Depending on the level of care you need, there may be specialist health professionals involved in your care.
More information is available at:
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) services
Northern Ireland's Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts offer autism spectrum disorder (ASD) services.
Find out more at:
- Belfast HSCT – child and adolescent autism service
- Belfast HSCT – adult autism assessment and diagnostic service
- Northern HSCT – autism services
- South Eastern HSCT – neurodevelopmental service
- Southern HSCT – autism services
- Western HSCT – autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – adult’s service
- Western HSCT – children and young people’s autism service
Keeping healthy
It’s important to look after your physical and mental health.
Eating healthily and keeping physically active improves your health and quality of life. For tips and advice on improving your health, see:
Mental health
Autistic people can have good and bad mental health like anyone else.
However, they are more vulnerable to mental health issues, particularly in adolescence and early adulthood.
This could be due to increased self-awareness, communication or social difficulties and generally feeling isolated.
Further information on mental health and support services is available at:
- Mental health
- Mental health emergency - if you're in crisis or despair
- Mental health and autism
- Anxiety and mental health resources
- Mental health - National Autistic Society
Sleep
Sleep is vital to your health, wellbeing, learning and development.
Often autistic children may experience challenges with their sleep which can impact their overall well-being.
These can include issues such as:
- finding it hard to get to sleep
- night-time wakening
- sleeping for a shorter time than others within the home
For strategies to help improve sleep, see:
Safeguarding issues
If you are worried that you or someone you care for or support may be unsafe, or if you are not happy with the health or social care you or they have received, advice on recognising and reporting abuse is available at: