{"id":652713,"date":"2026-05-06T06:17:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T06:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/652713\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T06:17:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T06:17:11","slug":"vaccination-tips-for-neurodiverse-children-this-flu-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/652713\/","title":{"rendered":"Vaccination tips for neurodiverse children this flu season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Busy pharmacies, bright lights and confined spaces can heighten fear surrounding vaccination, particularly among children who are neurodiverse.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Yvette Anderson MPS<\/p>\n

Understanding how to create a safe, calm environment is essential to delivering patient-centred care. <\/p>\n

A time sensitive vaccination window<\/p>\n

With winter around the corner, pharmacies should be in peak winter vaccine campaign mode \u2013 including the recently introduced intranasal vaccine, FluMist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But pharmacists new to vaccinating children are often nervous that immunising school-aged children can be tricky. The Child Health Poll reported that 1 in 4 children<\/a> experience needlephobia<\/a> \u2013 which often intensifies with age. These challenges are amplified amongst children who are neurodiverse, calling for an enhancement of personalised care throughout the vaccination process.<\/p>\n

Yvette Anderson MPS \u2013 founder of Spectrum Pharmacist, which sets out to bridge the gap for neurodivergent families \u2013 told AP her top tips.<\/p>\n

Fear surrounding the vaccination experience<\/p>\n

Neurodiverse children can often experience heightened levels of sensory sensitivity, differences in communication, and increased anxiety in unfamiliar settings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Early signs of anxiety and sensory overload vary from child to child,\u2019 Ms Anderson said. \u2018It is helpful to understand the child\u2019s usual baseline before the appointment, because some behaviours may be part of their normal coping style rather than a sign of distress.\u2019<\/p>\n

During vaccination, early signs of overwhelm may include:<\/p>\n

increased fidgeting,\u00a0
\ntensing of the body
\nchanges in facial expression
\nlooking away
\ncovering ears
\nbecoming quieter
\nrepeating words
\nasking the same question repeatedly
\nbecoming more restless or distressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some children may also freeze, withdraw, resist touch, or become tearful or irritable.<\/p>\n

In a health care environment, such as the pharmacy, environment sensory triggers may include:<\/p>\n

waiting for turn or appointment time (both pre- and post-vaccination)
\nuncertainty surrounding the vaccination process, how it will feel being administered and who will be administering it
\nbright lights, busy pharmacy environments, clutter and bright signage
\nauditory considerations including loud phones ringing, loud conversations and\/or multiple conversations, as well as sudden noises\u00a0
\ntactile considerations, including being touched, pressure on the site of injection, the smell and feel of alcohol wipes, and the needle prick or nasal spray itself
\nOlfactory triggers including the smells in the pharmacy such as perfumes, disinfectants, other people
\nInteroceptive, which can include perceived and actual pain, dizziness and perhaps fainting, heightened body awareness and anxiety.<\/p>\n

Easing the process<\/p>\n

Encouraging individuals to visit the pharmacy prior to the appointment ensures a sense of familiarity with the process and ease with the immuniser. Similarly, scheduling the appointment at quieter times during the day reduces sensory stimuli, which can be paired with devices such as iPads or music to make the process as smooth as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ms Anderson maps out a few reducing anxiety techniques, including:<\/p>\n

modifying the environment can reduce sensory overwhelm by up to 60%
\nproviding clear information (either written or visual) explaining the process for vaccination can reduce uncertainty\u00a0
\nempowering the individual to modify the environment to suit their needs
\nhaving trained staff that utilise neuro-affirming practices\u00a0
\nengaging with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Awareness<\/a><\/p>\n

Changes and accommodations can range from a low sensory clinic, including a shorter waiting time or using topical lignocaine to to smooth over those processes.<\/p>\n

\u2018The easiest thing that we can do as a profession is to ask what the needs of the patients are,\u00a0 and actively listen to concerns without judgement. Understanding the patient standing in front of you is probably the first and primary thing that we can do,\u2019 Ms Anderson said.<\/p>\n

\u2018Pharmacists can significantly reduce anxiety during vaccinations by using clear, direct language that prioritises predictability, choice, and calm pacing which avoids jargon, overly clinical terms, or vague reassurances.<\/p>\n

\u2018Communication should be predictive and sequential, always stating what\u2019s next, how long it takes, and what it feels like. Key language principles include keeping it short and literal with simple words, such as \u2018pinch\u2019 instead of \u2018injection\u2019 or \u2018cool wipe\u2019 instead of \u2018antiseptic\u2019 \u2013 limiting sentences to under 10\u201315 words.\u2019<\/p>\n

Pharmacists should communicate with parents before vaccination appointments using a warm, collaborative approach centered around trust and setting clear expectations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This can be achieved by \u2018Reaching out via phone, text or a short pre-appointment questionnaire a day or two ahead, framing it as a partnership,\u00a0 and inviting parents to describe behaviours, sensory triggers and preferred strategies\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ms Anderson stressed that \u2018Referring patients to a GP should be a shared decision between the individual, their parent\/guardian, and the pharmacist immuniser\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018If the pharmacist immuniser feels that it is out of their scope\/training or confidence then ensuring the patient\u2019s safety is imperative, which may include medical contraindications and consent complexities, which is a significant consideration in the neurodivergent population.\u2019<\/p>\n

Pharmacists can contact specialist immunisation services <\/a>\u2013 available in each state and territory \u2013 that equip health professionals managing complex vaccination cases with advice and immunisation support.<\/p>\n

These services<\/a> can also facilitate referrals to adapted vaccination settings, such as low-sensory clinics or, where appropriate, sedation-supported pathways.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018It is helpful to understand the child\u2019s usual baseline before the appointment, because some behaviours may be part of their normal coping style rather than a sign of distress.\u2019<\/p>\n

Introduction of FluMist<\/p>\n

The introduction of the intranasal alternative FluMist may be beneficial in reducing stress surrounding vaccination for neurodiverse children who have needlephobia.<\/p>\n

As it is a novel approach, there may be an initial hesitation, Ms Anderson advised.<\/p>\n

\u2018There might be a little bit of a barrier to start with, but I certainly think having that alternative is a really positive step forward.\u2019<\/p>\n

However, despite FluMust easing stress for individuals with needlephobia, it could be a sensory trigger to neurodivergent individuals who experience heightened sensory reactivity or sensory hyperarousal, she warned.<\/p>\n

\u2018Being an intranasal vaccine, the process can involve brief pressure and tickling into the nasal passages, post-nasal drip, or an odd taste, and those sensations may be distressing for some, as the nose and throat are more likely to have a sensory reaction compared to the injection.\u2019<\/p>\n

Training opportunities<\/p>\n

In collaboration with PSA, Ms Anderson is the founder of SpectrumRx, a foundational training program designed to help pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and students deliver the best possible care to neurodiverse people.<\/p>\n

\u2018SpectrumRx provides complete neuro-affirming care for our pharmacy profession by providing education, awareness and understanding for all neurodevelopmental disorders,\u2019 Ms Anderson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Through SpectrumRx , Ms Anderson emphasised the importance of creating social stories that clarify the details of the upcoming experience, which can be produced and given to families to provide an idea of what is to be expected \u2013 including in the vaccination process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

SpectrumRx will be launched at PSA26. Keen to come along? Register now!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Busy pharmacies, bright lights and confined spaces can heighten fear surrounding vaccination, particularly among children who are neurodiverse.\u00a0…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":652714,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[64,63,138,116708,137,145,2674,3851],"class_list":["post-652713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-flu-season","tag-flumist","tag-health","tag-influenza","tag-neurodivergence","tag-vaccination"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/652713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=652713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/652713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/652714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=652713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=652713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=652713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}