> Oliver McGowan was 18 years old when he was hospitalized in England with recurrent seizures and pneumonia. He was autistic, and he and his parents had one specific request for the medical team: no antipsychotic medications. When he had taken them in the past, they made his seizures worse and had devastating effects on his mood. Despite the family’s vehement protests, doctors gave him an antipsychotic. A few days later, Oliver suffered a lethal neurological side effect. A week later, he was taken off life support. An inquest into his death found that the drug had led to the rapid deterioration.<p>I don't see what this has to do with autism.<p>Also, I understand that receiving medical care can be alienating but I'm not sure there's a way to fix that. It's real hard (impossible?) to train people to be kind, patient, and empathetic. Being honest and not making medical errors are probably more important training targets for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals (and more achievable).