Special Mom’s blog

Today Anirudh had his first telemedicine appointment with his psychiatrist. This was a routine appointment for us to get a refill of his prescription. Our appointment was at 11.30 am and we got our call at 11.40am. I was cooking and Anirudh was doing his puzzle on the computer. My husband attended the call and he talked with the doctor and passed on to me for my input. It was a smooth consult.

Normally it would involve me getting ready all morning about the process. The waiting rooms are always crowded since it has a couple of doctors in the same practice. I have him running all around the cramped waiting room and he would spend time in the bathroom to escape the appointment. Once inside myself and the doctor would chase him around the office where he would be searching for candy. A staff there would have got a snack and kept it which he would have noticed a couple of months back. After a tough time and getting him settled we would rush to finish the appointment. For cooperating for the appointment I would take him to mall nearby and get him a slice of pizza and icecream. My husband would not have participated because of work and I would have to communicate the entire thing over phone and this can lead to controversial discussion.

Corona is an insult added to an injury for us special needs parents. Autism as such is an auto immune disorder and I truly do not know how a new virus is going to affect autism. Social distancing and wearing a mask is not a concept autistic kids can understand with ease. So when I finished the appointment with ease and got his refills I found out the silver lining . Maybe appointment can be done online from now on.