Packet helps school nurses communicate with autistic students

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Packet helps school nurses communicate with autistic students

By Charlie Breitrose

GateHouse News Service

Posted Aug 10, 2009 @ 01:40 PM

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/state/x1558732691/Packet-helps-nurses-communicate-with-autistic-students

Communicating with an autistic child can be a challenge at the best of times, but when the child is sick it is much more difficult. The Autism Alliance of MetroWest has developed a tool to help school nurses work with autistic students.

Nannette Ohman, executive director of Autism Alliance of MetroWest, a program of Advocates Inc., recently made a presentation to the Massachusetts School Nurses Organization and discovered the need for training school nurses in this subject.

"When I was there, I was really blown away by how little they knew about it, and how eager they were to learn about autism," Ohman said.

The group had developed training for first responders - police and fire departments - for how to deal with people with autism, Ohman said, so they tailored the new training to school nurses.

"I can safely say in every elementary school in Massachusetts there is someone with autism," Ohman said. "I'm sure they will go to the nurse's office and they can't communicate."

Children with severe autism can't talk, Ohman said, and others might have a difficult time telling the nurse what is wrong. Nearly every school in the state could use the packet, she said.

The packet includes a set of scripts for nurses to use with the students and can be printed out to send home with the child so their parents will know what is going on. Along with a written explanation, the papers include pictures the children can use to communicate with their parents.

"When a child comes home there is some sort of written information, that says you went to the nurses office," Ohman said. "They will have something written from the nurses, and can point to the picture and say my stomach hurt, and say they gave me an aspirin."

Kathy Hassey, director of the School Health Institute at Northeastern and past-president of the Mass. School Nurse Organization, said the packets provide valuable material for nurses.

"What are some of the major things children might be coming in (to the nurse) for - vision and hearing screening, as well as someone who might have a stomach ache, fever or injury," Hassey said. "(The packet) has all the pictures that the children consistently use for communication."

She also likes Mood Dudes, figurines that the children can use to express themselves.

"They all have faces on them," Hassey said. "They could hand you one that looks like they are sad, or mad."

Hassey said the need for materials relating to autism is growing.

"So many districts are bringing (autistic students) back into the district and having special classes for them," Hassey said. "The school nurses are working with all the children."

Last year, the packets were provided to all the elementary schools in Framingham and Natick, Ohman said. A $1,500 grant from the Framingham Union Aid Association helped create the packets and give them to the schools.

Other districts can purchase the packets, which cost $150, from the Autism Alliance of MetroWest. Information is available at the group's Web site, www.autismalliance.org, or by calling .

MetroWest Daily News writer Charlie Breitrose can be reached at or cbreitro@....Get back to school stuff for them and cashback for you. Try Bing now.