Individuals diagnosed with autism are reporting a lack of support after receiving their diagnosis. One person, Rebecca Hope Duncan, stated she was diagnosed as autistic at 51, having sought help since age 17 and being treated for anxiety, depression, and trauma for 34 years.
Ms Duncan also noted that ADHD was identified in the same report, a condition that could not officially be diagnosed alongside autism until 2013. She is currently waiting for an ADHD assessment, for which medication is available, but states she cannot access it. For autism, she reports receiving no help after diagnosis.
A retired consultant psychiatrist, Jeremy Seymour, suggests a national public health programme focused on improving child sleep hygiene. He believes this could prevent and reduce the severity of future neurodevelopmental disorders, as neurodevelopment largely occurs during sleep.
Another letter from a GP, John Bryant, questions why problems are primarily seen as a healthcare issue if tied to social changes. He suggests addressing social changes rather than focusing solely on symptoms.
Peter Deadman highlights a systematic review from 2026 that found an association between child and adolescent consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and mental health problems. A Canadian study also found that replacing 10% of UPF calories with minimally processed food lowered children's behaviour problem scores.