"This should be on the news!"

My daughter is autistic and had a minor seizure toward the end of September. She is quite strong-minded, and it was difficult to convince her to get into the hospital.

The ambulance came first, and the driver was magnificent. He was patient, very understanding and encouraged my daughter to take the ambulance, despite how strongly she wanted to go by car. He helped me to lift her up onto the trolley and place her in the ambulance.

My daughter has never been ill, and she is not used to going to the hospital. We were taken to the Antrim Hospital Paediatrics Department. The staff were very welcoming to us. Denise, a wonderful nurse upon hearing my daughter is autistic and has sensory issues, came to collect us and she took over and said she knew what to do. She was absolutely fantastic; she encouraged my daughter to get on the trolley and I was shocked in a very good way at how great Denise was dealing with the whole situation. I believe Denise works in the Adult Mental Health Department. 

 I was amazed not only by Denise but by the experience and how the whole paediatrician team dealt with my daughter, it is clear that they are all trained to deal with autistic people.

Denise came back later and checked on my daughter. She was put in a quiet room, and they provided some water for her. Then came the doctor, who checked on her and examined her after the seizure to make sure that she was okay.

From start to finish, this experience was great. A breath of fresh air. I think it is very important to share these positive experiences and this definitely was one. All staff involved went beyond their job.

This should be in the news, and I will contact my local newspaper as well for them to share my daughter’s experience in the Paediatrics department. Thank you to the whole paediatrics team in Antrim, to the driver in the ambulance and to Denise the most!