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Dental Trauma and "Adjustment Disorder"

NAS83709

Anyone with experience of recovery from dental extractions and general anaesthetic in adults??

We have a 31yr old severely autistic son who has refused dental treatment for years despite 50 hours+ of "desensitisation" from our local psychologist team and multiple attempts to cajole/persuade him to enter the hospital supported by our "multi-disciplinary team" over the past 7 years.

We finally (after presenting him as an emergency 12 months ago) have a date booked for "the procedure".

"The procedure" involves pre-med in the home environment supervised by an anaesthetist, car trip to hospital, at least 6 tooth extractions including 4 wisdom teeth, a trip to the recovery ward and a blue-light ambulance trip home followed by some form of short-term monitoring/nursing care.

All of this has to be done without giving "the patient" any advance warning and so is being "bought off" by the Court of Protection.

We are , of course, expecting severe recovery problems, his reaction is likely to be extreme but he desperately needs the treatment.

Does anyone out there have experience of handling a case like this? What strategies should we use? What help should we expect from NHS and Social services? etc ?

Thanks for any helpful suggestions.

PT and AT

Parents

  • Oh dear God, poor you. Your poor son. You have my prayers.

    It was such a procedure that finally led to my autism diagnosis. I was expecting one extraction. They took six. I took off with suicidal intention afterward, was spun into a melt down/ shut down cycle complete with self harm, which went on and on. I'd never self harmed before. I was mute for weeks. I could never let my husband kiss me again. It causes eating problems and I've lost too much weight. I am still not coping.

    Four years on the dentist is still trying to put plates in my mouth and I am dry wretching immediately. The desensitization isn't working. I want it to. I want those plates. I want my mouth to feel normal again. But it doesn't and I can't cope.

    MH never believed me, misdiagnosed me. I worked out it was a sensory problem due to autism for myself in the end. Worst is my tooth condition is degenerative, and WILL get worse.

    I wish I could be more cheery, offer more hope, but I can't find an answer for myself yet. Your son is likely to be thrown into the most severe of sensory and psychological shocks, especially if they take him by surprise like that. Is that really wise to ambush him? I'm surprised they are allowing an approach like this. Autistic people cannot handle surprise, especially not surprise by their worst nightmare. The trauma will be beyond tolerance.

    I really don't know what to suggest. I so wish I did,  except to say you and he are not alone with this. I'm so sorry, this won't be what you want to hear. I'm so sorry I don't have a better truth to give. I'm so sorry this must be so scary.

    Please keep us updated. I hope you find an answer. I'd like an answer. Please keep shouting at professionals to help you. Short term medical care afterward won't do. He will be severely traumatised. They may not have ready answers, but don't let them stop trying.

    My heart really does go out to you.

Reply

  • Oh dear God, poor you. Your poor son. You have my prayers.

    It was such a procedure that finally led to my autism diagnosis. I was expecting one extraction. They took six. I took off with suicidal intention afterward, was spun into a melt down/ shut down cycle complete with self harm, which went on and on. I'd never self harmed before. I was mute for weeks. I could never let my husband kiss me again. It causes eating problems and I've lost too much weight. I am still not coping.

    Four years on the dentist is still trying to put plates in my mouth and I am dry wretching immediately. The desensitization isn't working. I want it to. I want those plates. I want my mouth to feel normal again. But it doesn't and I can't cope.

    MH never believed me, misdiagnosed me. I worked out it was a sensory problem due to autism for myself in the end. Worst is my tooth condition is degenerative, and WILL get worse.

    I wish I could be more cheery, offer more hope, but I can't find an answer for myself yet. Your son is likely to be thrown into the most severe of sensory and psychological shocks, especially if they take him by surprise like that. Is that really wise to ambush him? I'm surprised they are allowing an approach like this. Autistic people cannot handle surprise, especially not surprise by their worst nightmare. The trauma will be beyond tolerance.

    I really don't know what to suggest. I so wish I did,  except to say you and he are not alone with this. I'm so sorry, this won't be what you want to hear. I'm so sorry I don't have a better truth to give. I'm so sorry this must be so scary.

    Please keep us updated. I hope you find an answer. I'd like an answer. Please keep shouting at professionals to help you. Short term medical care afterward won't do. He will be severely traumatised. They may not have ready answers, but don't let them stop trying.

    My heart really does go out to you.

Children