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In patients with autism and learning disabilities, behavioural changes can overshadow changes in health.
Reflect on how you as an individual could take this learning forward into your practice. Contribute to the collaborative discussion by also replying to two other posts from your cohort
My reflection on this case study is that many of the events that preceded Finley’s toothache were avoidable. If FInley had received oral care the hitting could have been avoided so could have the sectioning and possible over-medication. The barriers to oral care document listed many reasons why people with learning disabilities do not receive the care they need. This is just for oral care. Misunderstanding or misinterpreting challenging behaviour increases the burden on the service users and health care providers. People with learning disabilities are even more vulnerable therefore a care plan is a good way to provide structured care that helps prevent ill health before it becomes problematic. My learning for practice is to uncover and understand the reasons behind challenging behaviour and not just see the behaviour in isolation.
It is good to follow the check lists and ensure oral care is encouraged, to prevent tooth problems for people with learning disability. Therefore I will make sure to promote oral care at practice.
I feel that Finley’s case reminds us that in patients with learning disabilities and autism, any action can be deemed as a way of ‘communicating’. I did feel there was a lack of information in Finley’s case study and it was difficult to gauge if sectioning was the correct cause of action. Did he hit somebody because they tried to stop him hitting himself or they got too close to him while he was hitting himself and those around him?
I’ve seen patients with learning disabilities have their carers with them in hospital and I feel like that wasn’t done for Finley. I felt he was very alone in a new environment and without anything that was familiar to him. The text didn’t say whether he was diagnosed with a mental health condition. His autism and learning disabilities aren’t mental health disorders, so is it right to detain him when he was only acting on what he knew/felt at the time?
It sounds like the parents aren’t really sure how to look after Finley and may need the extra support. Autistic individuals can get used to procedures like oral care if done correctly and consistently.
Individuals with learning disabilities have worse health than people without a learning disability and are more likely to experience a number of health conditions.Several barriers stop these people from getting good quality health care.For instance in this case study there was failure to recognise that Finley was had a toothache ,and this was the cause of Finley change of behaviour.I have read case studies about individuals with learning behaviours when they start to displaying aggresive behaviour, health professionals are quick to medicate them rather than trying to find the root cause of the behaviour.
I think that medicating and sectioning Finley was inappropriate as this would increase his anxiey been in a new environment.
According to me I feel that the sectioning of Finley was unnecessary and could have been avoided if necessary measures and precautions had been put in place. NICE guidelines recommends that that individuals with learning disabilities should be offered annual health checks by trained providers who have special training to work with these individuals with learning disabilities.
There is need to develop a personal health action plan for Finley to ensure that he gets regular check ups and treatments.
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