Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2021.
World J Clin Pediatr. May 9, 2021; 10(3): 15-28
Published online May 9, 2021. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v10.i3.15
Table 2 Criteria of “Autism Friendly Emergency Department”
Staff
Available staff with additional training in autism management, and stakeholder engagement
Staff education includes awareness about sensory sensitivity, communication, and pain threshold, as well as how to interact with patients
Parenting with the experts
Minimizing the number of personnel to only the essential
Able to gain as much information as possible from both the patient and the caregiver
Facilities
Calming environment with offering calming objects like toys and iPads, or sending patients to separate, quieter waiting rooms and using dimmer lighting and noise control system
Special waiting room with calming toys and suitable TV shows
Short waiting time when possible
Available quiet examination room
Available admission questionnaire or checklist to help the physician discovered disorders that are difficult to be detected in children with autism
Well design exam room and treatment area to help motivate the children to stay in the room
Available sensory equipment to use such as ear defenders, sensory boxes filled with various sensory items, Picture Exchange Communication System cards, sensory toys (e.g., squeezy balls), social stories, and communication aids
Available items to provide support, comfort, and security, including compression vests, blankets. and noise reduction earmuffs
Avoiding using sensory stimuli such as clutter, loud equipment, bright or fluorescent lighting
Parents
The use of one-page autism alert card or patient passport to provide emergency physicians with the needed information
Adequate partnership with parents
Family-centered care
The caregiver should be the guide to success
Medications and instruments
When choosing a medication, sensory issues such as taste or smell, textures, and temperature of treatment materials should be considered
The child should be exposed to and to touch all materials prior to using them if possible
The intervention can be modelled on the caregiver
Splints or bandages can be covered with non-threatening images