PARTICIPANT 10

“MARILYN” OLETE

A. Experiences of caregivers in assessing the pain of children diagnosed with ASD.

Caregiver Marilyn expressed the difficulty in assessing Kevin's (child with ASD) severe pain.
Sometimes, the child’s gestures and actions help in locating bearable pain, however, when the pain is
intense or severe, the child only cries out without indicating the specific location of the pain. Due to
worry and panic, Marilyn could not think straight, so she and her husband sought professional help as
the only way to resolve this situation. “Kay kis-a muna ganing mabudlay samon kay as long nga indi sa
kasugid, kay dapat siya gid ya matudlo matangis siya, tapos ang kalain lang kis a kung indi siya kasugid
naga pina tugma kami yakung diin masakit te ga tinangis na kang gid siya pa check-up na kang kami,
check-up na kang amon solusyon kung indi na gid namon ma gets kay du mabudlay gid.”

She also expressed how it is difficult to single handle looking after her child with ASD, her husband is
always at work and every day seems to be a challenge for her and whatever happens to her child she’s
always ready. Not only the medications the child takes but also herself trying not to panic in complicated
situations. Sometimes she would call over her relatives for her to have company in times of emergency
and claimed she does not have much idea on how to handle situations beyond her knowledge reason
why her only solution is to rush the child to the hospital.

B. Challenges faced by caregivers when assessing the pain of children diagnosed with ASD

Even at home, Marilyn is always alert in looking out for her child. The child is hyperactive and has the
tendency to bump himself anywhere be it on other children, chairs, tables, or even on the wall as a
result of scratches and bruises on his body. She could not divert her attention on anything else aside
from the child who is always needed to look after or else something worse may happen. “Mabudlay gid
kay hyper siya ngadan waay ga pahimuyong sa isa ka lugar, may tendency siya nga gina hampak niya
iya kaugalingon kag ang iban nga bata, muna nga ako wala ko gid sa nadulaa sakon panulok ya buskan
ara jami sa balay pakadto pakari kay basi pag galikod ko may samad na sa may something na sa muna
akon mata ara lang gid sa iya kung ara sa balay.”

There’s also a time when the child put a small pearl inside his nose, Marilyn is perplexed on why the
child insisted on taking her hand and putting it on his nose, that’s when she realized that there was
something and she started to panic, the child also started crying as people gathered to help them,
however, the child refuses to be touch he was shaking their hands off. Marilyn began panicking because
the child also had a runny nose, worrying that the child may be unable to breathe because of airway
obstruction. Without any choice, since they were in a secluded place, specifically in a rural area, they
could not rush the child to the hospital they used force to still the child and take out the pearl from his
nose.
C. Common pain assessment strategies used by the caregivers of children diagnosed with ASD.

Marilyn (caregiver) claimed that she assesses Kevin’s pain on his facial expressions and action. If
the pain is bearable, he would take her hand on put it where the pain is located, he lets people help
him when the pain is bearable, however, if the pain is unbearable he will not let people touch him as
mentioned above. “Waay kay indi pa gid siya masydo ka gets bala muna ga base lang ko sa iya
reaction. Once nga indi niya na mapatandog pero kung masakit kag matandog pa, pero kung gina
tapi na sakit sakit na ang meaning, more on body language kung kaya pa niya ang sakit pwede pa
matandog pero kung indi na niya mapatandog sakit sakit na gid ya.”

The caregiver also asks other caregivers for advice such as experiences with also handling
children with ASD in assessing pain. However, she claimed that other’s strategies in assessing the
pain of children with ASD may not be effective on Kevin. Autism Spectrum Disorder varies in many
ways such as hyperactive behavior. Marilyn stated that Kevin is complex even when administering
oral medications, she was advised to hold Kevin’s nose when drinking water because the child has
dysphagia.

D. Evaluate the most effective pain assessment strategies used by caregivers of children
diagnosed with ASD.

Marilyn stated that she does not have any specific strategies, she just based on the child’s facial
expression and behavior if Kevin feels pain in his body. However, it is still difficult despite Kevin
having a fever he’s still hyperactive such as running around the house. But there are also times when
Kevin just lay down on the bed looking weak and tired which means that he has fever. “Indi mo siya
mabal-an kung may something kung indi sa mag sugid parehas abi ga pungko sa da ga lumaw
lumaw na sa ga palapit sa dasun kag itudlo niya dasun, maskin na lagnat sa hyper siya dyapon same
lang iya hulag, lain lang gaking kung kain kain lang iya pamatyag kung wAy na sa ga hulag kung ga
higda na lang sa.”