Mum leads action for sensory room at Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children

A Craigavon mother has spearheaded a campaign to have a dedicated sensory room installed in or within very close proximity to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children A&E department

A campaign calling for a dedicated sensory room at the RBHSC received unanimous cross-party support at an adjournment debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly recently. The call to action is supported by a petition that has generated over 1,000 signatures. The campaign is asking for a much-needed facility in the vicinity of the hospital’s A&E department, claiming that it is of “vital importance”.

The room will help with the physical, social, emotional and behavioural wellbeing of patients, while assisting parents and carers. Mother of one, Erin McAllister from Craigavon is one of the founders of the Northern Ireland Community for Parents/Carers of Children with Complex Needs group and has helped lead the charge for the installation of the sensory room.

Speaking to Ni4kids, she said: “I am a parent to Aubree, 2-years-old, who has significant complex needs and I have been chronically ill my whole life, spending many years visiting the RBHSC A&E for assessment and treatment myself.

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“The RBHSC is the only hospital in NI that specifically caters for the care and treatment of children and it not only provides care for local Belfast children but provides most of the paediatric regional specialities for Northern Ireland. Therefore, many children with chronic illnesses or complex medical needs travel to the RBHSC A&E to ensure the continuity of care with their outpatient or inpatient medical teams when emergencies or acute flares arise.”

As per Ni4Kids — according to the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust website — there is on average, 34,000 children and young people who attend the A&E department annually.

Sensory rooms are specially designed spaces that provide a variety of controlled sensory experiences to help individuals regulate their senses and emotions.

“Many children who attend the A&E department have sensory processing difficulties,” added Erin.

“This can range from children with a diagnosis such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ADHD to children that have experienced trauma either in their formative neonatal years such as NICU or due to social and environmental factors in their home life.

“We are all painfully aware of the current pressures that the NHS faces and A&E departments end up looking like war zones. Children are crowded in like cattle and overflow areas have to be opened to provide enough space for those waiting to be seen which on average can take many hours.

“A sensory meltdown can lead to increased body temperature, vomiting and self-harming behaviours. The parents and A&E staff then have to treat these concerns on top of the initial health concern which takes up more time and resources and causes extreme distress to the other children who witness this.

“Less stressed parents and carers will be able to articulate their child’s medical needs more effectively and calmly leading to a smoother flow from entrance to exit of A&E or admission into hospital. Our children deserve to feel safe. They did not choose to experience this world differently or to have high sensory needs, neurodivergence or chronic conditions and I think it’s important to say that these children’s’ needs are different but not less.”

Other hospitals have already created SEN friendly environments for children and Erin is hopeful that the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust will follow suit. She believes a sensory room would provide a quieter, dimmed lighting environment with toys and equipment which would meet the sensory needs of those children who require it.

Some mobile sensory units are available to children who have beds but they are not usually available while children are in the hospital’s waiting room — which is often a stressful experience.

Erin is pleased to see support from all parties across the board as the issue was discussed in the assembly, she said: “It really brought attention to key issues that can often get overlooked and brought them to the highest level in Northern Ireland.

“A voice was given to the voiceless, our children who have complex needs from physical disabilities, learning disabilities, neurodivergence and sensory processing needs to name a few.

“I am confident the Health Minister has listened to our concerns and will move at pace to ensure a sensory room or similar amenity will be available to patients at or near the RBHSC A&E.”

The petition on the campaign can be found here.

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