"The visual supports were invaluable"

About: Craigavon Area Hospital / Audiology Services Specialist Child Health & Disability / Speech and Language Therapy Services

(as a carer),

My son has Autism and struggles with medical appointments. He usually becomes overwhelmed and can lash out. He had an important  appointment at our local hospital and I approached his Speech and Language Therapist for help. She was so helpful. She contacted the hospital department and spoke with the audiologist about how best to manage my son; his triggers and things he would struggle with. The Audiologist had obviously taken on board all that the SLT had told her about my son and was brilliant with him.

In preparation for the appointment the Audiologist supplied videos of the environment and videos of the procedure that was to be carried out.

The Speech Therapist also created detailed visual supports for my son with a social story, a feelings board and a breakdown in stages of the appointment. These supports were invaluable as my son was able to manage the appointment without getting upset or lashing out. As a result the medical assessment was able to be effectively carried out. 

Thanks to the help of the SLT and the Audiologist the appointment was a success! They worked together for the good of a vulnerable boy who ordinarily would not have been able to cope with such an appointment. I am so grateful to both of them! 

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Responses

Response from Avril Watson, Audiology Services Manager, Audiology Services, Southern Health and Social Care Trust 10 months ago
We are preparing to make a change
Avril Watson
Audiology Services Manager, Audiology Services,
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Submitted on 29/09/2023 at 12:29
Published on Care Opinion at 12:29


Thank you for sharing your lovely story. We are very pleased to hear that both SLT and Audiology worked well together in order to achieve the best outcome for your son. We feel that you played the biggest part in the appointment's success by helping Audiology put the right preparations in place and asking SLT to share the helpful visual aids they use. These were straightforward to adapt for Audiology. We will certainly look at using similar visual leaflets again and may be able to post them on the SHSCT website for others to use. We appreciate this feedback and will use it to help improve Audiology services for all patients. Thanks again.

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Response from Hilary McFaul, Professional lead for SLT/Operational Lead for Paediatric SLT, CYP, Southern Health and Social Care Trust 10 months ago
Hilary McFaul
Professional lead for SLT/Operational Lead for Paediatric SLT, CYP,
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Submitted on 29/09/2023 at 12:56
Published on Care Opinion at 13:24


Thank you for sharing your very positive experience of your Speech and Language Therapist and Audiologist.

I am so delighted to hear that you and your son got all the support that you needed in order for his medical appointment to be a success.

I am glad you felt you were able to reach out to your SLT and ask for help and that she was able to link with the audiologist and provide advice and visual supports specific to your son and the type of appointment he had to attend.

It is clear from your story just how much you appreciated the staff working together and what a positive impact it had for your son. Thank you again for sharing your story.

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Response from Justine Smyth, Operational lead Speech and Language Therapy, CYP, Southern Health and Social Care Trust 10 months ago
Justine Smyth
Operational lead Speech and Language Therapy, CYP,
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Submitted on 29/09/2023 at 15:12
Published on Care Opinion at 17:05


picture of Justine Smyth

Thank you so much for sharing your story, it is a wonderful example of how parents and healthcare staff working together lead to the best outcomes for the children known to our services. I am so glad that your son was able to manage the appointment, it must have been a great relief to you and I am sure you are very proud of him.

By sharing your story I hope that it inspires and encourages all of us working in HSC to continue to go the extra mile for the vulnerable children and young people we are so privileged to meet and work with.

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