⚠️ This child has autism. Please read this guide before any pre-operative assessment, anaesthetic consultation, or surgical procedure.
Tick everything that applies. This section is specifically for the anaesthetist and should be shared at the pre-operative assessment.
Use the answer lines to write down what you are told. Keep this guide as a record.
For very anxious or distressed autistic children, oral pre-medication given 30-60 minutes before can make the whole experience significantly calmer.
This is a reasonable request for autistic children and should be accommodated wherever clinically possible.
Waking from anaesthetic in an unfamiliar environment without a known person can be severely distressing for autistic children.
Ask for this to be decided in advance — not improvised on the day.
Autistic children may not communicate pain in typical ways. Ask how pain will be assessed and managed post-operatively.
Ask whether there is a quiet recovery option away from busy ward areas.
Many hospitals will accommodate this for autistic children if asked in advance.
No procedure can go ahead without your informed consent. You must be told clearly what will happen and why. Take your time. Ask questions. You can say no.
Under the CRPD (ratified by Zimbabwe and most African countries) and the UK Equality Act, medical teams must make reasonable adjustments for your child's disability. Pre-medication, quiet environments, and parental presence are reasonable requests.
As parent or guardian of an autistic child you have the right to stay with your child for as long as clinically possible — including during induction and immediately in recovery.
If your concerns are dismissed or your child is mistreated, you have the right to ask for a senior clinician, make a formal complaint to hospital management, and contact the relevant medical regulatory body. Use our Hospital Complaint Letter Generator.