Mortality in autism: a prospective longitudinal community-based study.

Gillberg et al. (2010) followed a whole county's autistic kids into adulthood. They counted who had died and why.

The team tracked every child who got an autism diagnosis in the 1980s. They waited 20-plus years to see who was still alive.

By age 30, about 1 in 13 had died. That rate is five to six times higher than in the general public.

Epilepsy and accidents were the top killers. Most who died also had intellectual disability.

Tsai et al. (2023) looked at all of Taiwan 13 years later. They found the same jump in deaths, plus a new one: suicide.

Akobirshoev et al. (2020) zoomed in on U.S. hospitals. Autistic adults there were 50% more likely to die during a stay, with women at highest risk.

Drasgow et al. (2016) saw fewer heart-disease records in the same cohort. The gap may mean doctors miss cardiac problems in autistic patients.

Your clients with autism and intellectual disability face real medical danger. Add epilepsy checks and safety skills to every care plan. Teach street-crossing, water safety, and medication adherence. Flag any seizure-like event for fast neurology referral. These simple steps can literally save lives.