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Anyone with a sensory disability, an ambulance can add additional stress, there's plenty of adjustments paramedics can do to help.
I hurt my back, I was trying to put my dog's harness on and fell over.
I was stuck on the ground and had to call an ambulance because I couldn't get up again.
The two paramedics that came were actually really, really nice and really, really good.
I told them at the start that I was autistic and they were fantastic.
They didn't touch me initially, they explained everything they needed to do.
They made sure that I understood about the equipment and what they wanted me to do and how they were going to get me up.
They gave me some medication that tasted really bad to help me get up and get onto the stretcher and then took me in the back of the ambulance to the hospital.
So I wasn't able to plan and get all of the stuff that I needed before I left.
So they had the sirens off, they made sure the lights were nice and dim and they didn't use the monitor in the ambulance because it wasn't needed.
I just sucked it up and hoped for the best.
Get your finger, there we go.
And do you mind if I take your blood pressure?
Alright, you're going to feel a little bit of tightness on your arm, Claire.
My name's Dave, I've been an ambulance paramedic for 糖心Vlog for over years now.
With my lived and learned experience of neurodiversity and neurodivergence,I bring empathy and inclusiveness both with my colleagues and with the patients.
We can't always turn off lights and sirens for safety reasons, but you can bring your noise cancelling headphones or sunglasses.
We can usually turn off or down some equipment and inside lights, provide options for a blanket or sheet or neither if the texture isn't right for you.
Depending on the situation, we will always try and take the time to explain what tests and treatments might feel like or how medication might taste or smell.
We have some great tools like the Emergency Healthcare Communication Book developed with Scope.
So we just point to the stuff that I ask you questions for.
A Tap Distract app and all of our workforce have access to Amaze Autism Positive Training.
Can I bring my sensory items?
Absolutely.
We can also make adjustments to meet people's communication preferences.
So I would encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the resources that we have just in case you need us one day.
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