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Going to the doctor

Kate Kestrel

Advice needed please. 
If you have a young autistic adult that you are supporting, and they have a symptom that any (in fact every) doctor would say: ‘get that looked at/checked out by a GP to make sure it’s nothing serious’ but the young adult does not want to go to the doctor, what is the best way to approach helping them with that? When they are totally emphatic that they don’t want to go and see the doctor, but the symptom is one that there is a TINY TINY risk it could be something like cancer? What do you do? 
It’s most likely (by far) that it’s nothing serious but there is a TINY chance that it could be? And the young person hates to be put under pressure of any kind (and I don’t think pressure would help but only stress them out hugely). What do you do in this scenario? 

Parents

  • Sorry I don't really have any advice but was wondering what the reasons for not wanting to visit the doctor are?  For the past couple of years I've had this issue with my 11 year old son, he gets really upset or refuses to attend a GP appointment.  At his age I haven't really given him much choice & the GPs are always really nice, my son is ok once we are there  but I don't know what makes him worry or get angry about going in the first place.  I think he finds it difficult to communicate these things also.

    Do you that your young adult would feel as anxious with having an online / phone appointment?  This could then lead to a face to face apt if required?

  • in reply to Nikmum

    So many reasons, the stress of interacting with/talking to people, the stress of being in a waiting room (so much tension just sitting and waiting with other people close by), the environment (the smell of the doctors surgery, the lighting, the textures), health anxiety that makes a doctors surgery just generally unsettling, then seeing the actual doctor and having to convey the problem, being physically examined by the doctor who is a stranger, etc etc. Plus of course - what the doctor will say - that it might be something serious that might need further appointments etc. So many things.

  • in reply to Kate Kestrel
    Kate Kestrel said:
    the stress of being in a waiting room

    Is it possible for them to wait outside and the receptionist call their mobile when it is time to go in? My dentist does this and it is so helpful. 

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