Empowering Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Families within the Healthcare Environment

Caregivers of patients with ASD have reported dissatisfaction with healthcare experiences due to the lack of healthcare provider confidence, knowledge, and skills in managing the challenging behaviors associated with ASD (Bultas & McMillin, 2016). As healthcare professionals, there is a need for continuous education regarding ASD to increase healthcare provider confidence in working with this population, as well as improve overall healthcare experiences for patients with ASD and their families. Difficulty coping with unpredictability or changes in routine may result in immense stress for children with ASD, which could lead to undesired behavior. This study seeks to empower children with ASD and their families within the healthcare environment.