Autism is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in the U.S., affecting an estimated one out of 36 children.
Most people with autism experience unique sensory features such as differences in reactivity to touch, sounds, and sights or difficulty managing multiple sensory inputs at the same time. These sensory differences can make the healthcare environment -; often characterized by fluorescent lights, idle waiting rooms and uncomfortable pokes and prods -; difficult to navigate, preventing children with autism from getting the care they need. To change that, occupational therapists Roseann Schaaf, PhD, and Lady Rios-Vega, OTD, are working with Dr.
J. Matthew Fields to design more inclusive healthcare environments for autistic children as outlined in a new study in the journal Discover Psychology. Using the creative problem-solving framework of design thinking, Drs.
Rios-Vega, Fields and Schaaf analyzed healthcare environments and met with parents of autistic children, healthcare professionals and designers to collaboratively brainstorm how the experience could be improved. They emerged with new ways to make healthcare environments more friendly for autistic children with sensory differences. One is to include a "sensory adaptive environment," an area near the waiting room with varied sensory zones, with features like rocking chairs and activities for children who need more sensory stimulation and features like bean bags and weighted blankets for children who need to relax.