AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
An autistic three-year-old boy was thrown out of a GP surgery when the practice’s buzzer triggered a ‘meltdown’.
Tommy Coupland’s mum Zoe was asked to leave East Hill Surgery in Colchester, Essex, when the youngster began to shout and wriggle around on the floor.
In fact, his condition makes him incredibly sensitive to sound – and the noise of a buzzer calling patients for their appointments was enough to cause distress.
Instead of helping, staff asked Zoe to leave before their appointment.
Zoe, 22, said: ‘It was painfully embarrassing and done in a packed waiting room full of people.
‘I couldn’t believe that I had taken Tommy for medical help and as soon as he began showing signs of a recognised condition, they wanted to get rid of him.
‘You wouldn’t be thrown out if you started vomiting because you had a virus, why should he have been treated any differently?’
Tommy wears ear defenders when he goes out because he struggles to deal with loud, piercing sounds, but took them off while waiting in the surgery.
As he is epileptic, the stress of a meltdown can cause him to have a fit.
Tommy was prescribed lamotrigine to stop his fits but Zoe wanted to see a doctor as the medication is not working as well.
She said: ‘He is extremely sensitive to noise, even a toilet flushing or phone ringing can set him off.
‘I knew a busy doctors’ surgery would be a risk but I had to take him to change his medication because it had become less effective.
‘Not one person came over to see if he was alright or whether we needed anything. It was like I had brought a naughty child into the surgery.’
Louise Goodwin, practice manager at East Hill Surgery, said: ‘All of our staff work very hard to ensure high standards of care.
‘We do have a process whereby patients can comment on the service they have received.’
Source: Boy, 3, thrown out of doctors' after buzzer started autistic 'meltdown'
An autistic three-year-old boy was thrown out of a GP surgery when the practice’s buzzer triggered a ‘meltdown’.
Tommy Coupland’s mum Zoe was asked to leave East Hill Surgery in Colchester, Essex, when the youngster began to shout and wriggle around on the floor.
In fact, his condition makes him incredibly sensitive to sound – and the noise of a buzzer calling patients for their appointments was enough to cause distress.
Instead of helping, staff asked Zoe to leave before their appointment.
Zoe, 22, said: ‘It was painfully embarrassing and done in a packed waiting room full of people.
‘I couldn’t believe that I had taken Tommy for medical help and as soon as he began showing signs of a recognised condition, they wanted to get rid of him.
‘You wouldn’t be thrown out if you started vomiting because you had a virus, why should he have been treated any differently?’
Tommy wears ear defenders when he goes out because he struggles to deal with loud, piercing sounds, but took them off while waiting in the surgery.
As he is epileptic, the stress of a meltdown can cause him to have a fit.
Tommy was prescribed lamotrigine to stop his fits but Zoe wanted to see a doctor as the medication is not working as well.
She said: ‘He is extremely sensitive to noise, even a toilet flushing or phone ringing can set him off.
‘I knew a busy doctors’ surgery would be a risk but I had to take him to change his medication because it had become less effective.
‘Not one person came over to see if he was alright or whether we needed anything. It was like I had brought a naughty child into the surgery.’
Louise Goodwin, practice manager at East Hill Surgery, said: ‘All of our staff work very hard to ensure high standards of care.
‘We do have a process whereby patients can comment on the service they have received.’
Source: Boy, 3, thrown out of doctors' after buzzer started autistic 'meltdown'
