Autism spectrum disorder 101: A primer for pediatric otolaryngologists.
Based on a comprehensive review of the literature as well as personal experiences at a tertiary children's hospital, we present an encompassing guide of the management of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the otolaryngology practice. ASD is a disorder involving persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple contexts with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, which presents early in age and causes significant impairment in function. With the increasing prevalence of autism, the otolaryngologist's understanding of the disease and how it affects the management of patients is of paramount importance in order to provide a safe medical and surgical environment. Special considerations in the outpatient visit and peri-operative setting in the management of ASD patients can enhance the patient-provider relationship and improve the quality of care delivered. We discuss several strategies, such as utilization of communication devices and use of pre-medication prior to surgery, to facilitate the clinical experience.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA. Electronic address: biyanis@evms.edu.
Sneh
S
Biyani
Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Patrick S
PS
Morgan
Tampa Children's ENT, Tampa, FL, USA.
Karin
K
Hotchkiss
Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA, USA; Department of Pediatric Anesthesia, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Matthew
M
Cecchini
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA; Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Craig S
CS
Derkay
D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D010036:Otolaryngology; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care
Autism; Autism spectrum disorder