Hey y’all I am back again this is a topic that I have wanted to write about for a long time. I just haven’t gotten a chance. I know that a lot of Autism moms have requested this topic. I hope that through my experiences and knowledge in this area that it helps others with Autism get through dental appointments.
All my love,
kate
How to prepare for a dental appointment
When it comes time for my dental appointment, I prepare for my dental appointment by gathering my weighted blanket, a drink for after my appointment, and my favorite comfort item. Once I have all my stuff ready to go, we pack it in my vera Bradley bag, and put the bag in the car. Once the bag is in the car Rob, and I will talk about what procedures I am having done so we can talk about what to expect. Once we’ve talked about what to expect we leave for the appointment.
Dental fears
When I was a kid, I went through dental appointments that led to dental fears. I had no idea that the sounds, smells, fear of shots, and of the dental chair. Although these fears make dental appointments hard for me, I have learned how to cope.
My Coping Techniques
So, when it comes to learning how to cope with my dental appointments it is not easy. When we get to my dental appointments we sign in and wait to get called back. Once we get to our room rob will put my weighted blanket on me, then I get to choose my laughing gas flavor then I will get the gas and get sleepy. Usually, we put a tv show on the tv on the ceiling, and I go to sleep.
Invasive Appointments
Some of the more invasive appointments that require numbing, or surgeries are harder on me because I have anxiety going into these appointments. So, in order to prepare for these appointments Rob and I will try to talk about it the night before, prepare my weighted blanket and try to get a good night’s sleep. The day of the appointment Rob and I will arrive at the appointment walk inside get to our room, get my weighted blanket on top of me, and get my laughing gas going. Once my nitrous is going the dental assistant tries to put the numbing jelly in while I am distracted. Once that’s in that is when I get anxious because I know that the shot is coming. Once the dentist comes in Rob will try either put his foot to mine or hold my hand to calm me during the injection. The dentist also will try to remind me to breathe through my nose and will count from 5 to 1. Once the pain is over, I can usually calm down, and go to sleep.
Things That Help with Dental Appointments
- Weighted blankets
- Led apron
- Nitrous
- Tv/ movies
How The Team Can Help
I believe that the dental team can help an autistic patient through an appointment by being aware of our differences like sounds/ smells/ lights ECT and adjust things to make us comfortable. I believe that this stuff can help by getting to the patient’s level, ask what works, and what doesn’t work, offer options and take time with the patients.
General Dentistry VS Pediatrics
For me for a long time ago I was in general dentistry and learned that many dentists couldn’t handle special needs patients. Lately the more visits Rob and I have done to find the right office for me our results have been that pediatric dentists handle me better then general dentists. However, we were wrong! After being at a few pediatric offices, we learned that the doctor and nitrous are great for me but not all the staff are trained to work with special needs. After so many visits we had to take notes and think about the right fit. Rob and I visited at least five to ten places and discussed each place carefully. The outcome of our discussion was that pediatric dentists may be a great fit for special needs due to the bright color, characters on the walls, nitrous, and more however not all the staff are trained to work with special needs. Rob and I continued our search after pediatric, and met several more general dentists who were great, but again ran into the issue of staff not being trained to work with special needs and the doctor would never stay while I was on nitrous, and had the assistant do all the work. Finally, we have found the right office for me.
Advice For Everyone In The Dental Field
My Advice for all dentists is to think about not only your normal patients but the special needs patients that may come to your office. Think about how you can accommodate your special needs patients for example always offer nitrous, and other forms of sedation. Having bright colors with characters on the wall, tvs in all the treatment rooms, headphones, weighted blankets, offer a kids play area, and rewards like stickers, toys, and options at the end of the appointment. Think about the rooms maybe install sliding glass doors in every room to minimize noises. When you hire your staff look for experience with child development/ ABA therapy, and other experience with special needs in your candidates. Finally, did you think about weight? Did you know that on top of weighted blankets used your led x ray aprons on top of the weighted blankets can help the patient feel calm during their dental appointments?
Advice For Parents
My advice for parents when it comes to picking the correct dental office is to do your homework! Ask your Friends and Family for their recommendations. Make sure to read google reviews, ask your pediatrician for reviews, call the dental offices, and ask for a tour of the office, get to know not just the dentist but the staff as well. Ask the staff and doctor about their experience working with special needs. You should be allowed to stay with your child during treatment although some dentists ask you to wait outside don’t give in! You know your child best! Its ok if the first office you visit isn’t the right choice! Keep going until you find the perfect choice for your child!