"COVID screening at entrance"

I took my very young teenager to get a blood test at St George Hospital Kogarah. My child has Down Syndrome and is therefore non-verbal, and very sensory sensitive around their face and head especially.

So when we had to go and get screened at the entrance one of the nurses said to my child to let me check your temperature and which my child shook their head. I said to the nurse oh sorry my child doesn't like being touched so you probably won't be able to get their temperature but I know they are well and not sick.

The other nurse then went into what a I felt was a heavy-handed mode saying that they need to check my child or we can't come in. To which I asked what the issue was and that I realise it's important but unless you want to tie my child down and force it on them, which I would not allow anyway, there's nothing else they can do. In my opinion, the nurse then proceeded to shout at me telling me to calm down and not raise my voice which I believe I wasn't doing.

I feel there should be some leniency surrounding this, especially young children and children with sensory issues. As I said, I understand the need to be screening but bringing a child who hates blood tests and hospitals anyway, it adds to the stress and anxiety that both of us feel. Usually, a half-hour appointment where we can be in and out turned into a 2-hour ordeal for my child.

I usually have such positive things to say about the hospital but sadly, this occasion was not one of them.