Implications for practice and research

• Young people with autism are more likely to attend the Emergency Department (ED) for a mental health, physical or behavioural concern than the general population.

• This study applies principles of Patient and Family-Centered Care (PFCC) to interview data from previous research to develop understandings into the ED experiences of parents, physicians and nurses in relation to children with autism.

Context

The healthcare of people with learning disabilities and autism has been the focus of increased attention in recent decades. This has been driven largely by evidence that this group experience a higher prevalence of physical and mental health complexities than the general population, whilst also being vulnerable to a range of health …