"No regard for sensory needs despite this being explained"

I took my daughter on GP's advice to A&E, whom had been very unwell for a number of days at home. After a wait of over 3 hours we were seen by a doctor who was extremely kind and very good with my daughter putting her at ease. It was agreed bloods needed to be obtained. Staff were brilliant with her even though it was very difficult.

My daughter who has sensory issues and autism became extremely distressed having to get bloods obtained. I explained to the nurse afterwards how it would take a few hours for my daughter to deregulate and could it be facilitated to stay in a room while waiting on bloods - this was agreed. 45 mins later I had just managed to get my daughter to stop screaming and hitting out and crying. I was then informed by a nurse we would have to leave the room and wait in a very overcrowded waiting room. Given how my daughter was already very sensory overloaded, with being unwell and the events of the day taking her into a very noisy waiting room extubated this ten fold. I explained this to the staff to be told I could wait in corridor with her.

My child lay across chairs on the corridor very agitated and distressed until I managed to get her to sleep having taken a blanket and pillow from home. She then woke upset and disoriented, I took her into the waiting room as she needed the toilet. At this point she sat and refused to move shivering and screaming and crying. A doctor then came over to ask what was wrong, and only after much distress and embarrassment caused to my child we were offered a room. Before discharge another doctor came on duty and she was exceptional, I appreciate her kindness and efficiency.

I appreciate that it's a busy place and there are many children with a range of issues and concerns, but in this instance I feel absolutely disgusted how my child was treated. There was no regard for her sensory needs despite this being explained to staff on a number of occasions. I feel the trust would need to look very strongly on provisions for children on the ASD spectrum. As a staff member of the SHSCT I'm totally embarrassed this is how we treat people in our care. The staff in this instance treated my daughter's medical needs accordingly and worked with what they had, but as for holistic care it was not existent in any way.

This experience has left us as a family fearful to have to use A&E with my daughter again, this has left her feeling fearful of the hospital environment. All which could have been decreased if her needs had been taken into consideration a little more. I hope our experience leads the way to help better understand other children in this situation and make provisions in the future.