Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental condition that includes a range of characteristics that influence how someone communicates, learns, and behaves. Some traits include repetitive behaviors, restrictive interests, and difficulty socializing with others. Because many medical professionals still misunderstand autism, many autistic patients struggle to find adequate medical services. Existing stigma, inaccessible treatments, and the complex healthcare system are obstacles autistics face whenever they seek care.
Many nurses have expressed worry about navigating an experience assisting autistic patients because of these barriers. However, it’s possible to show autistic patients that you’re willing to work with them and facilitate trust so that they can leave with a positive experience.
Below are some tips to consider if you want to assist autistic patients better but aren’t sure how.
Ask About Their Support Needs
When doing chart reviews, if you see that a patient is neurodivergent, ask them if they need any accommodations. This can especially be helpful for autistic clients staying at a hospital or on a long clinic visit.
They may need a less distracting room that limits noise and harsh lighting. Nurses can also relay compassion and understanding to patients to make them feel as if they’re in a safe space.
When autistic clients feel heard and validated, they can feel more comfortable practicing self-soothing behaviors, such as playing with sensory toys or using noise-canceling headphones to regulate their emotions.
Be Aware of Healthcare Bias
Many healthcare professionals assume that autistic people lack communication skills and ignore their autistic clients’ needs. As a result, this behavior can make autistics feel ignored, invalidated, and frustrated when they seek help with their medical concerns.
Autistic people have atypical communication, meaning that they have different communication styles than neurotypical people. For example, one autistic person may prefer to communicate in text instead of spoken words, while another may seem verbally fluent but struggle to interpret social cues.
Some autistic people may also use alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) by using an app to generate speech or utilizing low-tech options such as pointing to photos, pictures, or written words.
Other types of healthcare bias among autistic clients can include the words nurses and doctors use around them. These include microaggressions and preconceptions that portray people with autism as different, incapable, needy, or use other types of stigma that put autistics in a negative light.
Even medical texts that describe the criteria for autism have been criticized by autistic people for not being inclusive of autistic experiences, such as the word ‘disorder’ connotating autism as something to be fixed. As a result, more terms to describe autistic people, like ‘neurodiverse’, are being included to show inclusivity and acceptance.
Becoming aware of bias is crucial to meeting autistic clients where they are and providing them with resources that make them feel seen and heard.
Learn About the Different Ways Autism Presents
Many people think that autism exists on a straight line that places you either ‘more or less’ autistic. Instead, autism is a spectrum with a range of strengths and challenges. This means that no two people on the spectrum are identical.
Sensitivity to the five main senses is one way autistic people can have different traits. Some neurodivergent patients can be more sensitive to sound, but others can tolerate loud noises. These reactions can also depend on each person’s environment.
It can be difficult to know what is appropriate or not when interacting with autistic patients. Here are some resources to help nurses learn more about how autism presents:
Asperger/Autism Network (AANE) provider resources: AANE offers workshops and courses for professionals who want to educate themselves on autism. It also provides information on everything from adult transition to emotional regulation.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s resource library: This autistic-centered library includes books, COVID-19 resources, and education toolkits.
Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE): This organization has topics for healthcare providers on how to care for autistic patients and links for patients about autism. It also includes the Autism Healthcare Accommodations Tool, which allows autistics to create an individualized report for a healthcare provider about their needs.
Nurses are committing to providing accessible, quality care to their patients, including neurodiverse ones. With a commitment to advocacy and trust, nurses can be confident that their autistic patients’ needs are met with kindness and respect.
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