Visual symbols in healthcare settings for children with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.

Children with learning disabilities (LD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) get anxious while attending healthcare settings as it is not part of their usual routine. They often understand visual symbols better than speech. Many of these children are accustomed to using symbols at school and at home to support their verbal understanding. A list of commonly conducted physical examinations, medical investigations and treatment procedures was compiled by the author with the help of parent support groups for ASD and Down's syndrome. In total, 150 visual symbols were developed for use in healthcare settings in consultation with parents, special needs teachers and a software company. Overall, 50 health professionals from 12 clinical areas in the hospital and community were consulted for their views on introducing symbols in healthcare settings. All had experienced difficulties in gaining cooperation from this group of children and strongly endorsed the use of symbols. They suggested using symbols in clinics and sending visual symbols home before the appointments to improve the children's understanding and cooperation.