Taking Your Autistic Child To The Dentist

If you have a child with Autism and it's time for you to take them in for a dental exam, you want to do what you can to make it as easy as possible on both your child and yourself. There are a lot of different things you want to do to make the experience go as well as can be expected. Try some of the tips detailed here when you are going to be taking your child in to their dentist.

Make a plan with your child: Let your child know they are going to have a dental visit coming up. Inform them of when it is and mark it on the calendar. The appointment should be made for a date and time when your child doesn't normally have anything else planned since children with Autism don't do well with changes to their regular routine.

Set the appointment so they are first: You can set the appointment for very first thing in the morning or directly after the dental staff returns from lunch. By making it so your child is the first to be seen, you will be limiting the time they are going to have to be sitting in the waiting room.

Let them bring things that make them feel comfortable: Your child may have a favorite blanket, book or toy that usually helps the feel calmer. Make sure you allow them to bring these things with them so they can focus on them rather than their dental appointment.

Explain everything to them: Take the time to explain the process to them. Let them know they are going to be in the waiting room first, then they will be called back to the exam room. Tell them the dentist will examine them with a few different tools and there may be a bright light. Autistic children don't usually like noises and bright lights, so you want to prepare them for this ahead of time.

Allow them to touch the equipment: Work with the dentist to allow your child to touch and examine the equipment before it is used to examine your child. The process shouldn't be rushed and they should be given time to look at each piece thoroughly.

Try to minimize the stimuli: Ask the dentist to work with the lowest light possible and to replace noisy tools with quieter ones when it's possible. Also, try to have as few people as possible in the exam room and keep the talking to a minimum.

By following the advice here, you will have a better chance of getting your child through their dental appointment in a way they feel the most comfortable with. For more advice, contact a dentist like Russell Pollina, DDS.