An Australian Cross-Sectional Survey of Parents' Experiences of Emergency Department Visits Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Australian parents say ED visits for autistic kids are rough because of noise, lights, and staff who don’t know autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Garrick et al. (2022) asked Australian parents to describe their child’s emergency-department visits.
Parents told why they came, what staff did, and what felt hard.
The survey listed common problems such as noise, lights, and workers who did not know about autism.
What they found
Parents said sensory overload and staff under-awareness made visits harder.
They wanted quieter rooms and clearer ways to share their child’s needs.
The paper gives a plain list of trouble spots, not numbers.
How this fits with other research
Tint et al. (2019) asked autistic adults the same questions and heard the same complaints.
Both studies show ED staff miss ASD communication needs, so the child findings extend to adults.
Emerson et al. (2023) asked ED clinicians and found they also feel unprepared.
Parents and clinicians agree: more autism know-how is needed.
Wachob et al. (2017) showed EMS staff with autism training feel calmer on calls, proving training can close the gap parents notice.
Why it matters
You can copy the training idea from Wachob et al. (2017) and bring a one-page autism cue sheet to your local ED.
Ask for dimmer lights, lower noise, and first-responder in-service using the 2014 materials.
Small moves like these turn parent pain points into smoother visits.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Parents of children with ASD who had attended an Australian emergency department (ED; n = 421) completed a questionnaire relating to their experiences in the ED, including (1) child's reason for presentation and existing comorbidities, (2) quality of care during the visit (3) child's behaviour during visit, e.g. sensory responses to the ED environment, and disruptive behaviours. Children with comorbid ASD and intellectual disability were more likely to present with gastrointestinal issues and seizures, while those with comorbid ASD and oppositional defiant disorder were more likely to present with self-injury. ED staff awareness of ASD-related issues, including communication and expression of pain, were common difficulties for parents. The ED environment (e.g. lights, sounds, waiting areas), exacerbated child anxiety and led to disruptive behaviour.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2022 · doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05091-9