Rabies exposure prompts urgent ER visit

A viral TikTok moment highlights autism accommodations in health care.

Autistic woman receives thoughtful ER care after finding dead bat in toilet

Alison Doyle was doing laundry when she found a dead baby bat in her downstairs toilet. She filmed the moment for TikTok, and viewers urged her to seek rabies treatment. Paramedics advised heading to the emergency room as a precaution, noting that the rabies risk is low but the outcome is severe if untreated. Doyle says the sensory stress of a crowded ER adds to the challenge for her as an autistic person.

At the hospital she received post exposure prophylaxis and was placed in a private family room to reduce noise and exposure to crowds. In Canada, a paramedic can visit a patient at home, a service Doyle calls a major help for her needs. She recalls small acts of care, such as a gluten-free banana popsicle, that made the visit easier. The online reaction mixes concern with support, turning a personal health moment into a broader talk about inclusion and access.

Online audiences can shape health decisions when a patient speaks about a disability. The clip shows that care can be tailored to the person, not the other way around. It also exposes gaps in autistic representation that call for more diverse voices, especially from Black, brown and Indigenous communities. The piece hints at policy questions about how to fund and scale home based care and how to train staff to recognize autism in busy ERs. Simple acts of kindness matter, and care is more than medicine.

Highlights

Care should adapt to the person, not the other way around.