Visuals for Medical Appointments
May 24, 2023
Visits to the Doctor
Taking Charge of My Appointment is a visual that is intended to be started before the appointment, used during the appointment, and completed after the appointment.
Self-Advocacy at Medical Appointments is a printable worksheet that individuals with Down syndrome can fill out before an appointment. It was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society.
My Health Passport is a document that individuals with Down syndrome and their families can fill out to share information (such as communication preferences, how to offer support in stressful situations, how the person responds to pain, etc.) with health care providers. It was developed by the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities.
Visits to a Doctor’s Office is a one-page visual that starts with leaving the house and ends with meeting with the doctor in the exam room.
Visual Supports for Hospital and Doctor Visits is a page on the Pathfinders for Autism website. It includes visuals for common hospital terms, pain scales, identifying where on the body someone feels pain, and asking for help.
Procedures and Tests
Getting an ECG/EKG may be helpful for cardiology appointments that include having an electrocardiogram done.
Getting My Blood Drawn explains what happens when we have a blood test done.
Getting an IV explains what happens when we get an intravenous line (IV).
Getting Ear Wax Removed explains what happens when we have our ears cleaned out.
Getting an X-Ray is a general visual that can be used when getting x-rays of various parts of the body.
Getting an Ultrasound is a general visual that can be used when getting ultrasounds of various parts of the body.
Getting an EEG explains electroencephalograms (EEGs), tests that measure electrical activity in the brain.
Getting a Swallow Study explains what happens when we have a swallow study done.
LuMind IDSC Foundation developed a “What to Expect?” Toolkit that includes videos and social stories about having an MRI and having a PET scan.
The website of the Agency for Clinical Innovation in Australia has Medical Procedure Photo Stories for Adults. It includes visuals/stories about blood tests, CT scans, operations, x-rays, and going to the hospital.
Other types of visual supports, including those described in this Use of Visual Supports article, may also be helpful. For example, a First/Then visual could be used to set expectations for the appointment (e.g., First, go to doctor’s appointment. Then, watch a movie).
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