Preparing my son to get his cast removed

Good afternoon all, tomorrow morning I am taking my 13 yo son who has Aspergers and high anxiety to hospital to get his cast removed.  I know he will panic and be terrified.  Does any one have any ideas to help prepare him? I have downloaded a YouTube video already.

TIA

Parents
  • No idea really, but ear defenders would probably be a good idea, if he accepts wearing them. And I assume the people doing this will usually try to distract kids (as someone sawing off your leg or arm would be terrifying to many, I'd assume) but it that would then totally overload your son when he is already really anxious then you should probably tell them (or anything else that would work for others but not for him). Also tell them what to do or rather not to do when he panics - they may overload him even more with things he can't handle otherwise. Don't assume they will just know if you tell him he's autistic. Otherwise, not sure if there's anything they can do to make him feel like he's a bit in control? I'm less anxious if I feel like I'm in control, don't know if that's a common thing. It probably would also help me to know that they can stop at any time if I can't bear it any longer, just knowing that would probably make me able to bear it for a bit longer.

    Make sure he doesn't know that you "know he will panic and be terrified" because otherwise that adds another reason for him to feel that way! Maybe try to make it sound like a really cool thing, except for the noise something can be done about. Good luck! Tonight you'll both have managed it!

Reply
  • No idea really, but ear defenders would probably be a good idea, if he accepts wearing them. And I assume the people doing this will usually try to distract kids (as someone sawing off your leg or arm would be terrifying to many, I'd assume) but it that would then totally overload your son when he is already really anxious then you should probably tell them (or anything else that would work for others but not for him). Also tell them what to do or rather not to do when he panics - they may overload him even more with things he can't handle otherwise. Don't assume they will just know if you tell him he's autistic. Otherwise, not sure if there's anything they can do to make him feel like he's a bit in control? I'm less anxious if I feel like I'm in control, don't know if that's a common thing. It probably would also help me to know that they can stop at any time if I can't bear it any longer, just knowing that would probably make me able to bear it for a bit longer.

    Make sure he doesn't know that you "know he will panic and be terrified" because otherwise that adds another reason for him to feel that way! Maybe try to make it sound like a really cool thing, except for the noise something can be done about. Good luck! Tonight you'll both have managed it!

Children
No Data