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Research consistently shows that autistic people face higher risks of mental health difficulties and are more likely to think about or attempt suicide than the general population.

For example, a 2014 study found that up to 66% of those surveyed had had suicidal thoughts (compared to 20% of nonautistic adults) and up to 35% had planned or attempted suicide. There may be many reasons for this, but it is thought that pressures such as chronic stress, isolation and bullying, compounded by trauma, anxiety and inadequate support, can lead to exhaustion and hopelessness.

We need to find ways to intervene earlier with autistic young people, to build well-being, prevent crisis and create safer environments around them.

To help us do this, we need to look at the experiences of autistic children across education, health and social care services. This includes emergency departments, where past studies have shown that autistic children are nine times more likely to receive psychiatric care than nonautistic children.

Our study —a collaboration between researchers at Liverpool John Moores University, children's mental health charity Anna Freud , Edge Hill University, University College London and Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust—set out to map patterns among young people in suicidal crisis at the ER. K. pediatric hospital ER for suicidal crisis over three years.

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