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A fellow ballet mom asked me a question regarding what nurses should know about children with autism when treating them.  She asked me through Facebook (I read it via email).  I was going to speak to her about it tomorrow but then realized it would make a good blog post.

The very first time I recognized that healthcare providers needed to be aware of Brother's diagnosis was when he was six.  He was terribly sick; throwing up constantly with serious abdominal cramps plus fever.  I thought he might have appendicitis since he was complaining so much of pain on his right side.  I took him to the ER around 4am.  It was when they tried to have him drink a large amount of contrast for a CT scan that I realized I should've mentioned his autism diagnosis.  This was not long after Brother's diagnosis.  

A healthcare provider needs to know that a child with autism:

• might not answer your question directly.
• needs direct questions.  Most can't understand nebulous questions.  The pain chart is an amazing thing for them.  I wish they had something like that for all questions.
• faced with something insurmountable such as drinking an enormous bottle of contrast that tastes yucky, will dig in his heels and not do it.  No amount of bargaining, reasoning, or threatening will help him.  Another path has to be taken.  
• can't always sit still even during an exam.  One time a doctor scolded Brother for wandering the exam room.  He can't always sit still and he needs to seek sensory stimulation.  Other times he can't attend to a conversation.
• can have processing difficulty.  At times he can hear static between words.  Other times you come in loud and clear.
• can have sensitivity to touch or be impervious to touch.  Ask.  

I'm sure there are many more.  There other moms out there I need to speak to and find out what helps them.  Please leave a comment if you know of more things healthcare providers need to know.