EMS World

NOV 2017

EMS World Magazine is the most authoritative source in the world for clinical and educational material designed to improve the delivery of prehospital emergency medical care.

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38 NOVEMBER 2017 | EMSWORLD.com S A F E T Y s p o t l i g h t o n By Alicia Lutman, OTD, MS, OTR/L, ATC Can an educational program increase providers' comfort with these patients? Y ou are dispatched for a domestic dispute and instructed to stage until law enforcement secures the scene, as this is an individual known to have behavioral issues associated with autism. Once the scene is clear, you enter the home and notice locks high above an adult's arm reach on all the doors, which seems like a fire hazard. A 13-year-old male is in his underwear, bleeding from his arm after breaking a glass door during an argument with his mother. The boy is pacing to and fro. An officer decides to restrain the boy so your team can provide care, but he only becomes more agitated and aggressive. He ends up breaking away from the officer and runs out the broken door. Defining the Need Compared to children without special needs, children with special needs are more likely to come into contact with first responders, more at risk for injury and more likely to be victims of violence.ยน Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a specific diagnosis for children with spe- cial needs that requires in-depth consideration because the social and behavioral challeng- es these children demonstrate put them at increased risk for injury and abuse. 2 The CDC reports that one in 68 children is now diagnosed with ASD; in 2000 that rate was one in 150. 3 Taking these numbers into consid- eration, it becomes clear that first responders need to have training about special-needs indi- viduals and the specific needs of individuals with ASD. It is critical that first responders understand that depression and anxiety often manifest as anger and aggression in men and boys. 2 Males experiencing a crisis may become aggressive and angry during times of high stress and dis- tress, meaning there is an increased risk for injurious behaviors toward themselves and others. Reports of negative encounters between first responders and individuals with autism have been in the news recently. Better under- AUTISM AWARENESS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

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