The Impact of Pediatric Outpatient Waiting Room Design on the Experiences of Autistic Children: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to better understand how the design of the pediatric outpatient waiting room impacts the experiences of autistic children. Background: Outpatient waiting rooms are frequented by autistic children for a variety of healthcare services. Often, these settings consist of unpredictable, uncontrollable, and intense stimuli that may be difficult for children to tolerate. Due to the increased prevalence of autism and significant differences in sensory and self-regulation needs, it is essential to design waiting rooms that are more supportive and inclusive. Methods: Data collection included participant observations, semistructured interviews with the participant and their family, and administration of parent surveys. The Person-Environment-Occupation Model was used to guide data collection and analysis. Once all data was collected, a six-step thematic analysis process was used. Results: Three children and their families participated in this study. Three themes emerged: waiting room triggers, facilitating regulation, and supported inclusion. Each theme identified specific barriers and facilitators of the current waiting room design. Conclusions: This study contributes important perspectives to the literature when designing outpatient therapy waiting rooms. More research is needed to fully tailor healthcare design to be supportive of autistic children.