Fw: [New post] A Trip to the Dentist Can Be a Positive Experience

[Guest guest]

From: Autism Speaks Official Blog

Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 1:38 PM

To: mmoyer@...

Subject: [New post] A Trip to the Dentist Can Be a Positive Experience

New post on Autism Speaks Official Blog

A Trip to the Dentist Can Be a Positive Experienceby jsnydersachs

Posted by Shick, DDS, MPH, assistant professor at Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, one of 17 Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) sites across North America.

As a dentist, I can only hope that when I say “open wide,†that’s exactly what the person sitting in my dental chair does. When I see children in my practice, I know I won’t get my wish every time. Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty following directions during routine dental cleanings. Nonetheless, I love working with these kids and their families. So I’ve adapted my practice so that everyone involved with these wonderful patients gets the most out of each visit.

A few years ago, for example, I had a visit I will never forget. The family had not one but two sons with autism. My receptionist greeted the family and after consulting with the parents, we decided it would be best for me to see the six year old first, and then see his eight-year-old brother. He came into my small examination room with his mom and immediately began pacing and staring at the floor as if looking for something he had lost I asked him to sit in the chair. He didn’t respond or look up. It was clear that the bag of tricks I learned in dental school wasn’t going to get him to cooperate.

To coax him into my examination chair, I asked his mom to hold his hand and help steer him into the chair. She continued to hold his hand during the entire visit. I made sure not to rush through with my typical routine. Instead, I showed him the mirror and toothbrush I was going to use and explained to him, each step of the way, what I was going to do next.

After a while, he began to make eye contact with me He even smiled. He didn’t do everything I asked, and he struggled through certain parts of the appointment, sometimes trying to sit up or jump off the chair. But we got done what we needed to—a dental cleaning, a thorough dental exam, and a fluoride application. Then his dad came in with his older brother, and we did it all again.

During dental school, few students practice treating patients with ASD. For this reason, many dentists may feel uncomfortable when caring for patients with autism, and it can be difficult for families to find a dentist who understands their child’s needs.

I have been fortunate to work with some wonderful autism specialists here at Children’s Hospital Colorado. With support from Autism Speaks’ Autism Treatment Network (ATN), we created Treating Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Tool Kit for Dental Professionals. It is designed to help dental professionals like myself understand autism and work with parents to help make office visits successful. I often use the recommendations in the tool kit in my own practice.

With autism on the rise, it’s becoming more and more important that dental providers—including dental hygienists, dental assistants and even front desk staff—have the most current information about autism and know how to interact with families affected by it. It is our sincere wish that more dentists will be empowered by our tool kit to welcome these children into their practice and help make their visits a positive experience. We hope you will share the new Dentist Tool Kit with your dental care providers. You can download for free, here. Also see Autism Speaks Dental Tool Kit for families, here.

jsnydersachs | February 21, 2012 at 2:38 pm | Tags: ATN, ATN Tool Kits, autism, Autism Speaks, autism spectrum disorder, Autism Treatment Network, Shick | Categories: Science | URL: http://wp.me/pRNiI-4F1

Comment

See all comments

Unsubscribe or change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions.

Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://blog.autismspeaks.org/2012/02/21/a-trip-to-the-dentist-can-be-a-positive-experience/

Thanks for flying with WordPress.com