My daughter Indy had a bad fall on the playground over the weekend. I could tell her shoulder was hurting and couldn’t wait to see the pediatrician on Monday. That meant we had to turn to a solution that filled me with dread: urgent care. That’s because Indy has autism, and a place like an urgent care office can be a total minefield. She doesn’t do well in new situations and new caregivers – she’s really scared – and on top of that, these places definitely cause sensory overload.
We knew how difficult this visit would inevitably be for Indy, so we couldn’t just go to the nearest clinic. We needed to find a practice with providers who were experienced in working with young children, preferably those with autism spectrum disorders, and who could be very patient, which is not always possible in a chaotic environment like urgent care It’s so easy.
My husband and I did some quick Google searches and found three urgent care facilities nearby. But we are not sure whether they are suitable for our situation. Based on past doctor visits to Indy, we knew we needed at least one clinic staffed by a dedicated pediatrician.
We combed through clinic reviews to see if there were any red flags and found a pediatric urgent care office with X-ray equipment about 30 minutes away. Before heading there, I called the office to make sure they were ready for Indy’s visit.
Knowing Indy’s triggers and knowing that she might feel overwhelmed by having her chest and shoulders scanned by an X-ray machine, my husband and I agreed that this would be a two-parent job. Unfortunately this happened on a Saturday which meant our 8 year old was home as well. We didn’t have emergency child care, so we had no choice but to take our oldest daughter with us because we knew we would have to cram all four of us into the exam room.
We have established a good dynamic to tag the team in high pressure situations. We know that patience is non-negotiable, and it’s hard to be patient when your child is screaming and thrashing because he doesn’t want to do something while you’re trying to talk to the doctor. My older child also recognized her sister’s triggers and cues, and thankfully we found a way to work together to support Indy.
I’m happy and relieved to say that when the doctor came in to do the exam, he was so patient and kind. Seeing how well he treated her, we were happy to make the calls to find the right doctor, even though it meant driving some distance. He asked for an X-ray of her collarbone.
I was stressed out because I didn’t know how to convince Indy to sit down and take the photo. The X-ray room is dark and the lights are very bright and intimidating.
Indy wasn’t too keen on it, and the usual remark was “It’ll be so cool, you’ll see your bones!” This didn’t reassure her because she somehow thought it meant the machine would turn her into a corpse Skeleton. The reaction was so endearing in hindsight, but the resulting meltdown was anything but.
The X-ray technician and I spent 20 minutes calming Indy down and taking three pictures of her collarbone. For every position they wanted her to do, I had to demonstrate it first and reassure her, “Look, all you have to do is stand like this!” and “It’s not scary to lie on the table; watch me do it!” Eventually, they got everything they needed and the doctors confirmed that Indy had a broken collarbone, but it wasn’t a quick and easy process. She would spend three weeks in a sling and we would need a follow-up with an orthopedic specialist for more X-rays. examine.
By the end of the visit, I was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I’m also left with lingering thoughts of comparison. I don’t think this experience is easy for anyone. Still, I can’t deny my envy for parents who can go directly to the nearest urgent care center to get their kids X-rayed without feeling like they’re walking through a minefield, trying to avoid an explosion at every step.
I’m grateful to the staff for treating Indy warmly and ensuring she felt safe and comfortable. It was definitely worth it for us to take the extra step to find a pediatric clinic and let them know what to expect before we arrived. Still, I hope I won’t repeat this experience anytime soon (or, ideally, ever).
Ashley Ziegler is a freelance writer who lives outside of Raleigh, North Carolina, with her two young daughters and husband. She has written on a range of topics throughout her career, but particularly enjoys covering all things pregnancy, parenting, lifestyle, advocacy and maternal health.
