Caring for children with Autism in healthcare settings
Neurodiverse children can have a different way of seeing the world and responding to it, and this should be understood and taken into account by medical professionals. Providing a safe and responsive environment can lead to breaking down barriers in communication and decreasing distress felt by children and parents. This promotes more positive memories of the healthcare system and can lessen trauma.
Course Overview
Children with Autism can, at times, have very specific needs and ways of coping when in a stressful environment. When faced with the loud and unfamiliar hospital environment, children with Autism can very quickly become overwhelmed. In this video learning activity, Allison offers some practical tips on how to manage the stressors and still get your clinical tasks done.
Learning Outcomes
In this session, you will:
- Gain an understanding of the complexities of a ‘spectrum’ and how to shape your knowledge around this concept
- Understand sensory overload and how to ease the sensory burden on your patient
- Learn why your patient may experience selective mutism or be nonverbal in your care
- Gain knowledge of executive dysfunction and emotional dis-regulation in your patient
Course Content
Details
CPD
First Published
Updated
Expires
D
1 hour
Sept 2018
Sept 2018
Nov 2020
Also found in
Usage & Integrity
Allison Davies
Registered Music Therapist, Brain Care Specialist
Educator
Allison Davies has been a registered music therapist since 2005 and has run a private music practice in Tasmania since 2007.
In 2016, she trained with the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy and developed my workshop Brains = Behaviours as a way of teaching parent, carers and teachers that their child’s behaviours are entirely dependent on how their brain is coping. This workshop has since won the AMP Tomorrow Maker’s Award and is now available as a 10-week eCourse.
As a music therapist, Allison understands the potential for music therapy to improve general brain functioning and over time has become less passionate about the 1:1 therapy model. Her passion now lies with educating the caregivers about how they can implement so many of the strategies that she has been using in her therapy sessions.
Allison understands what it is like to live with Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder having been diagnosed with it herself. Allison experiences meltdowns, sensory overload, emotional dis-regulation, hyperactivity etc herself. This fuels her desire to give clarity around what it feels like when the brain requires as much support as it can get.
Allison’s aim is to start a movement, whereby we take the focus off behaviour management and replace it with brain care – supporting our children’s brains to function at their best so that detrimental behaviours disappear of their own accord.
