Thursday, December 30, 2010

Autism and Colonoscopy

I am going to be undergoing a colonoscopy next week.  This brings to mind the fact that Bil's doctor wants Bil to have a colonscopy.  I blogged about this several months ago.

My 83 year old mother in law wants no part of this (wants us to help him through the prep, I should say) and I don't blame her.

I've been through the colonoscopy type prep twice now, and anyone who has done it knows it is no fun, especially the last 12 or so hours.

I've got to wonder, how the heck do you make a man with autism understand the importance of this test?  And that he is going to have to drink some kind of vile liquid, (in mass quantities) and live on the toilet (to put it delicately) for many hours?  If he can't understand "why" would he even give his consent?

But, I may be making too much of this.  With the prevalence of digestive problems among people with autism, there must have been enough people with autism that have had this test.  (this is a screening colonoscopy, not because anything is suspected, I should note.)  So there has to be a way. 

Is there a place that can do a different type of prep?  I don't want to get graphic here, but are there alternatives?  Has someone out there been through this?

So far we've been putting it off, and my mother in law hasn't pressed us about it, but sooner or later...you know this brings up other issues when you think about it, such as the availability of health care.

Will his insurance, such as it is, even pay for the exam?

"Enquiring" loved ones want to know.

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