Prescription for Success: Supporting Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Medical Environment

by Jill Hudson

Overview

Because of the unique needs of children with ASD, it is important to pay special attention to the details of their experience in the medical environment. Designed to help make the medical experience easier for all involved, this book presents information on ASD, the varying developmental levels, interventions, and assessments that medical staff, parents, educators, and key service providers can use to more effectively interact with and support children with ASD while in the medical setting. A CD at the back of the book includes forms and worksheets that can be printed and duplicated. Free CD includes forms, activities and games.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781931282956
Publisher:	Future Horizons, Inc.
Publication date:	06/20/2006
Pages:	124
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Jill Hudson, MS, CCLS is a certified child life specialist. Trained at John Hopkins, she formerly worked at children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She received her master's degree in autism/Asperger Syndrome from the University of Kansas, She is the author of Prescription for Success: Supporting Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Medical Environment and Cabins, Canoes and Campfires: Guidelines for Establishing a Camp for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Jill consults and presents nationally and internationally.

Read an Excerpt

When Lucas, a 9-year-old neurotypical boy, walked into the hospital playroom, although fearful and anxious about his upcoming appointment, he immediately noticed the video game. He rushed over to it, sat down and joined Sam, a 7-year-old who was already playing. The two boys talked about the game, gave each other tips on how to best play and commented to each other on and off throughout their playtime.

When Christopher, an 8-year-old boy with ASD, arrived at the playroom, the scenario played out differently. As he entered, he hesitated, overwhelmed by the video games playing, the nurses talking, the other children talking and laughing, and the IV monitors beeping. In addition, he sensed the acute smell of alcohol swabs, coffee, as well as a strange musty odor. The lights were dim and flickering. The walls were covered with artwork created by previous patients. Shelves were lined with boxes and toys of all shapes and sizes. Unlike Lucas, Christopher stopped – totally overwhelmed by all the stimuli surrounding him – swiftly turned around and started running in the opposite direction as quickly as he could. As he rushed along, he started mumbling, getting louder and louder. He did not want to listen to anyone, no soothing words would help. He did not want to be touched, and became even more upset when hospital personnel gathered around him so he would not run off. Increasingly anxious, he finally slid to the floor and began screaming. He did not want anyone to come near him. A reaction such as Christopher’s is not uncommon among children with ASD. These children are not being belligerent or acting out on purpose. Their often puzzling and unexpected behaviors are simply the way they cope as they try to make sense of the world around them. In the following chapter, we will review the major characteristics of ASD.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Purpose of the Book

Chapter 1 The Medical Encounter

Unique Needs of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Within a Medical Environment

Chapter 2 Characteristics of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Social Communication

Narrow Interests and Repetitive Behaviors

Sensory Challenges

Hyposensitive Versus Hypersensitive

Executive Functioning

Learning Nonverbal Communication

Need for Routine

Stress and Anxiety

Impact of Development

Summary

Chapter 3 Developmental Levels

Level One

Level Two

Level Three

Level Four

Level Five

Chapter 4 Assessment

Initial Assessment

Individual Developmental

Assessment

Environmental Assessment

Sensory Box

Participation and Information Plan

Intervention Assessment

Chapter 5 Interventions and Supports

Response of the Medical Team

Transitional Person

Downtime

Continuous Priming

Creating a Waiting Plan

Sensory Regulation

Giving Choices

Presenting Information

Simple Steps

Color-Coded Book

Reward Book

Narratives

Routines and Transitions

Visual Schedules

Transition Cues

Motivation

Power Card

Other Motivators

Behavior Modulators

Token System

Five-Point Scale

Pain Rating Scale

Supports for Specific Medical Procedures

Supports for Social Interactions Conversation Cues

Rules

Supports to Minimize Stress, Anxiety and Behavioral Meltdowns

Recognizing Cues

Post-Review

Redirecting Behaviors

Chapter 6 Effective Implementation of Interventions and Supports

Summary

Appendix A: Roles of Service Providers

Appendix B: Supplies, Materials and Pictures

Appendix C: Activities to Help Prepare the Child for the Medical Environment

Appendix D: Additional Resources

Appendix E: Graphics

Editorial Reviews

"I love this book! Many parents I know have voiced concern about taking their child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to the doctor's office, dentist, or hospital because they felt that medical personnel may not be trained to work with or treat their child. Likewise, I have spoken with medical professionals who have indicated that they were ill prepared to under­ stand children with ASD under their treatment. This book addresses the gap in knowledge experienced by medical profes­sionals whose training programs did not address children with special needs, including ASD. Jill Hudson has written an insightful and easy-to-use book as only a person who understands both ASD and the medical profession could. This should be required reading in every medically related training program: -Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., International speaker and writer on autism spectrum disorders

"Prescription for Success is an excellent resource for medical and dental providers who care for children (or adults) with special needs. It provides basic background information on autism/Asperger Syndrome and lots of specific interventions and resources on an accompanying CD that can be used as is or adapted as needed. This book is especially useful for hos­pital settings and procedure-based care: -Bruce Bassity, RPA-C

"This book gives a detailed overview of the experiences a child with autism spectrum disorders may have in a medical envi­ronment. From the clear scenarios and sample activities to the concrete developmental checklist and assessment tools, this will serve as a great resource for those in the medical environment as well as parents who are working to support their children through different experiences: -Brittany Hinson, CCLS, Child Life Specialist, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

"This book fills a gap in the literature of supporting children on the autism spectrum in the medical environment. Ground­ ed in research, this easy-to-read resource is bursting with tools for understanding and implementing interventions that help children with Asperger Syndrome and high-functioning autism successfully navigate the complex, confusing, and often sensorially overstimulating environment surrounding medical care: -Stephen Shore, Author of Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, editor and contributor of Ask and Tell: Self-Advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum, board member of the Autism Society of America, and executive director of Autism Spectrum Disorder consulting

"This is a wonderful book containing many practical, creative techniques that can aid in significantly improving the health care experience for children with autism spectrum disorders. A wonderful resource that all health care providers should have on their shelves: -Teri Winston, CCLS, Child Life Specialist, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

"Jill Hudson compassionately explains the needs of our children with ASD in a variety of medical settings, shares true-to-life scenarios with warmth and a touch of humor, and offers a variety of strategies and interventions. It is a solid blueprint for creating a program for kids with ASD. However, this is not a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter model. It contains the essential ingredients to make it a custom fit for each unique child. Every medical facility should use this book to train their staff, and every parent should put it into the hands of the medical professionals who work with their child. I know I will: -Kristi Sakai, Mother of three children with Asperger Syndrome and author of Finding Our Way: Practical Solutions for Creating a Supportive Home and Community for the Asperger Syndrome Family

From the Publisher