In ER, Caregiver Key to Treating Autistic Patients

The bright lights and noise in an emergency department or examination room can disturb and upset a patient with an autism spectrum disorder; so can the exam itself if the doctor does not use the proper approach.
Unfortunately, caregivers of patients with autism frequently report that a trip to the hospital can turn into a distress-filled struggle, getting in the way of proper treatment, according to a recently published online article by five emergency physicians, including three from Allegheny General Hospital.