My 11yo daughter has ADHD and dyspraxia, and quite high sensory needs. She appears to experience discomfort as pain. For example, she doesn't seem to be able to tolerate the light which has to be shone into her eyes during a sight test. We have tried many different techniques to get her to have this done. I've done the usual bribes/rewards strategy, distraction, telling her we csnt leave until she has it done, explaining to her the importance of checking her eye health. Bar holding her down (we had to do this in the past for eye drops and she's still traumatised by this) I don't know what else to do and if she is likely to grow out of this.
It's the same for the nasal flu spray. I even took her to a separate nurse led clinic but they got cross with her for screaming. She just can't tolerate anything invasive, including an in ear thermometer for example.
When she had to have her blood pressure taken she freaked out, and had a huge, screaming meltdown. Unsurprisingly we couldn't get her blood pressure taken because she was so distressed, and the hospital staff just left us alone whilst I cuddled her and helped her to calm down after her meltdown.
At the time I did ask the doctor what we would do if she ever needed some kind of life or death investigation or treatment, and she was too resistance to allow them to do it. He told me that it would have to be sedation in that circumstance, but obviously we can't do this for vaccinations and eye tests.
Does anyone have any advice please?
We are also facing having to do serial casting soon for her toe walking and I I can't see how she's ever going to tolerate this.
I don't know you how to find the balance between pushing her and being sensitive and understanding of her needs.