August 23, 2022 6.00 am This story is over 34 months old

Lincolnshire vet leading the way for those with disabilities and autism

She wants to make the profession more disability-conscious

A vet living near Scunthorpe is out to prove that having disabilities and autism should not stop anyone from achieving their dreams.

Dr Kiah Hann, who is autistic, was diagnosed with dyspraxia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome as a child, both of which affect her mobility.

She was later diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND) – which means she has symptoms in the body which appear to be caused by problems in the nervous system.

Kiah primarily works with small animals and small furry exotics (rats and degus) and says the veterinary profession isn’t necessarily equipped for people with disabilities.

Kiah has a height-adjustable table and an assistant to help her. | Screenshot: BBC Look North/BBC News Hub

Kiah believes that traditional research into autism is outdated and that as a result autistic females are diagnosed later in life. | Screenshot: BBC Look North/BBC News Hub

Kiah also believes that autism research has traditionally not shed light on how the disorder presents in females, leading to many autistic females being diagnosed later in life.

She works with an electric height-adjustable table to manoeuvre larger animals into her workspace and usually has the aid of an assistant.

She told BBC Look North that viewing her disability “in a positive way to try and help others who might be in a similar position in the future is really important, and actually sometimes the limitations set on you by others are just the limitations set on you by others and not necessarily everything you can achieve.”

Kiah says she had always wanted be a vet, and is not letting old stereotypes stop her. | Screenshot: BBC Look North/BBC News Hub