(And if you’re a good Paramedic/EMT/LEO you should always have this on hand anyway!) Autism Sensory Item Number 2: Miniature Slinky The simple act of allowing someone in the midst of overwhelm to write down their needs can be a true lifesaver. As the brain escalates, the ability to be rational and articulate diminishes rapidly. Even someone who is typically verbal will have challenges once this begins. Here are the ones that have been most helpful to me on scenes (these are not affiliate links, I receive no revenue or credits for promoting any of the below items): Autism Sensory Item Number 1: Paper and PenĪ meltdown is a product of sensory overload and is rooted in the nervous system. I’ve learned over the years that there are some simple items you can always have on hand that may aid in keeping an autistic person calm and helping to avert sensory meltdowns. Can you turn off the lights and sirens? Can you remove the person from the main part of the scene and get them into the back of the ambulance, where it’s quieter? If not, can you remove unnecessary bystanders and personnel? How about allowing one main person to do the assessment and ask questions?Įven with these techniques in play, emergency situations can still be extremely overwhelming for autistic children AND adults alike. To help alleviate this, it’s always best to try and eliminate triggers first. Add sensory processing issues to the mix and have a recipe for imminent meltdown. Joe, knowing is half the battleĪs you know, emergency situations are challenging for EVERYONE. If you are on a chaotic scene and you’ve identified either a patient or family member as autistic, congratulations! Understanding a person’s gifts and challenges and communication style goes a long way in being able to help them.
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