When Behaviour Speaks

When an autistic patient’s behaviour changes, what is it telling us—and what might we miss if we assume we already know?

Hamish and Jeremy explore this question through a composite ED encounter, examining pain, illness, distress and communication differences. Hamish probes why appearing calm does not settle the clinical story, while Jeremy explains the limits of interpreting behaviour from the outside. Together, they discuss how listening to the patient, drawing on familiar knowledge and adapting the encounter can inform assessment while keeping urgent care moving.