World Autism Awareness Week – Saturday 2 April to Friday 8 April 2016
The National Autistic Society have some great information for dentists – please see this link here – its excellent reading for all health care professionals in your team.
Some of their top tips include:
Before and during treatment
- Try to minimise waiting time, as this can lead to increased anxiety.
- Always explain what is happening (for example, ‘I will be checking your teeth to make sure they are in good condition’) and what you are about to do (‘I am going to put a small mirror inside your mouth to check your teeth. The mirror might touch the edges of your mouth’). People with an ASD often need extra time to process information, and some may prefer information to be presented visually.
- Be aware that injections and drilling, especially if accompanied by noise or other sensations such as cold water, may be particularly painful.
- Some patients with an ASD are hypo-sensitive to pain – so may not respond if you are testing for pain
If you have parents or carers that might like more information; you can find it here:
