I have a 24-year-old son with severe autism. The other day, we went to hospital at about 9.45pm and remained there till 1am even though my son has special needs and has a special ID card.

Both the nurses and thepeople waiting knew he has special needs and needed to see a doctor urgently. After one hour waiting with my son vomiting into garbage bags and a rush, they called us in. In a medium-sized room we found a doctor and a nurse, both of them weren’t sure about his condition.

The nurse only checked his temperature with a digital thermometer. She didn’t even check his blood pressure, his pulse rate and neither did she bother to do some blood tests. We were then sent to the emergency waiting room again. After some time, a doctor called us in, administered an injection, because of the vomiting, and wanted him to stay on the drip till the following day.

When my wife and I asked if there was a room where he could stay on his own or at least with another patient, the response was no. We also knew that he wouldn’t stay on the drip. We only asked so he would not disturb the other patients because he can’t speak.

Those who really know what severe autism is realise that such people cannot wait for a long time because they are impatient. Therefore, my wife and I had to go back home with him and with the medicine that the doctor prescribed for him. As a father I worry because there isn’t enough knowledge about these conditions.

Why can’t there be a special room for such people?

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