What Are The Barriers And Needs Regarding The Clinical Care For Autism/Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the Emergency Department For Patients, Caregivers, and Healthcare Providers?

Abstract

Children and youth with autism (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) frequently present to the Emergency Department (ED) settings, and face disparities in care due to challenges in communication, behaviour management, and health care provider (HCP) preparedness. This combined work explores the knowledge-to-practice continuum among ED providers to identify gaps and opportunities for improving care for patients with ASD/NDDs. A study was conducted to examine the experiences, perceptions, and needs of ED HCPs and patients with ASD/NDDs to understand how knowledge about best practices is integrated into clinical care. Complementing this, a scoping review was conducted to map the existing literature on the translation of knowledge into practice in ED settings for patients with ASD/NDDs, highlighting recurring themes such as limited HCP training and exposure, environmental concerns, interdisciplinary collaboration, and systemic barriers. Together, our studies reveal critical gaps in knowledge and practice, emphasizing the need for targeted training and guidelines to narrow these gaps. In order to ensure equitable, high-quality care in EDs for neurodiverse children, these findings offer a foundation for future intervention development and health system improvements.