.2024 Mar 22;29(4):199-204.

doi: 10.1093/pch/pxae010. eCollection 2024 Jul.

Improving patient-centred care in the emergency department: Implementation of a Sensory Toolkit for children with autism

Meagan A Roy¹, Ceilidh Kinlin^{2 3}, Myka Estes^{1 4}, Sarah J MacEachern^{1 4 5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
² Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
³ Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
⁵ Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

PMID:39045482
PMCID: PMC11261820
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxae010

Improving patient-centred care in the emergency department: Implementation of a Sensory Toolkit for children with autism

Meagan A Roy et al. Paediatr Child Health.2024.

.2024 Mar 22;29(4):199-204.

doi: 10.1093/pch/pxae010. eCollection 2024 Jul.

Authors

Meagan A Roy¹, Ceilidh Kinlin^{2 3}, Myka Estes^{1 4}, Sarah J MacEachern^{1 4 5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
² Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
³ Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
⁵ Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

PMID:39045482
PMCID: PMC11261820
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxae010

Abstract

Emergency department (ED) visits for children with autism can present challenges due to the unique sensory needs of this population. This Quality Improvement (QI) project executed two Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to create and implement a Sensory Toolkit in the ED for children with autism. Most caregivers (94%; n = 31/33) and healthcare providers (HCPs; 86%; n = 37/44) identified the need for sensory items in the ED. In PDSA Cycle 1, 100% of caregivers (n = 21) and HCPs (n = 3) agreed/strongly agreed that the ED Sensory Toolkit was helpful. In PDSA Cycle 2, 92% of caregivers (n = 12/13) and 100% of HCPs (n = 3) agreed/strongly agreed that they were helpful. The Sensory Toolkit was positively evaluated by caregivers of children with autism and HCPs during the child's visit to the ED. There is an opportunity to adapt the Sensory Toolkit for other EDs and areas of the hospital.

Keywords: Autism; Emergency department; Pediatrics; Sensory toolkit.

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Canadian Paediatric Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors: All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed. ME, CK, MR, SMJ declare Healthy Generations, Canadian Pediatric Society support of $10,000 CAD to conduct this work, paid to the University of Calgary. Healthy Generations, Canadian Pediatric Society; Support for trainee Dr. Meagan Roy to attend the 2022 Canadian Pediatric Society Annual Meeting in Montreal QC as part of the terms of the grant above.

Figures

**Figure 1.**
Sensory Toolkit study flow and timeline

**Figure 2.**
Image of some of the items included in the Sensory Toolkit: spinning light wand, sensory balls, a liquid motion toy, a pop-it toy, and a shaker

**Figure 3.**
Selected quotations from caregivers and a healthcare provider.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Improving patient-centred care in the emergency department: Implementation of a Sensory Toolkit for children with autism

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Improving patient-centred care in the emergency department: Implementation of a Sensory Toolkit for children with autism

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Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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