Visual Schedule System in Dental Care for Patients with Autism: A Pilot Study.
OBJECTIVE
A pilot study to test whether a visual schedule system using picture communication symbols can help children with autism have successful routine dental cleaning visits.


METHODS
14 boys with autism between three- to eight-years-old presented to the dental clinic for four weekly consecutive dental appointments. Patients were randomly assigned to either the control group who received the tell-show-do method (i.e., standard of care), or the test group who received the tell-show-do method plus the visual schedule system.


RESULTS
Patients in the test group completed an average of 1.38 more steps, at 35.52 seconds per step faster, and with 18.7% lower levels of behavioral distress than those in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of a visual schedule system, along with repeated weekly visits, showed some promise in helping children with autism successfully complete more steps, progress at a quicker rate, and exhibit lower levels of behavioral distress within a dental appointment, compared to a traditional tell-show-do approach.
Janet Wt
JW
Mah
Phoebe
P
Tsang
D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003463:Cues; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors
Autism; Dentistry; Electrodermal Activity; Visual Pedagogy