Our story

Welcome to our Page! We are the Snaith Family! We have officially started a business and are officially a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. We have 4 children, with 2 of them having Autism, Gracie who is 13 and Christian who is 7. Tommy is 10 years old and Aiden is 2 years. Both Tommy and Aiden are Neurotypical. My family started the ASD Sensory Project at Medic EMS in Davenport, IA in 2019 as we saw the need in our community to have people understand Autism more especially when it came to healthcare and how to help prevent meltdowns and severe stimming when having to have EMS response or any healthcare interactions. We want to be able to provide more education from a Parents Perspective as well as Professional Expertise. My wife, Elizabeth is a Behavioral Health Specialist. Together We give presentations and also provide Sensory Kits to First Responders in the Tri-State Area. Having the background on both sides personal and professional we can help to make EMS response to ASD individuals less traumatizing.

What is Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects communication, behavior and sensory processing. People with autism experience the world very differently- especially in high-stress or overstimulating environments like an ambulance.

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is common in individuals with autism. It means the brain has a difficulty time receiving and responding appropriately to sensory input. This can result in:

Hypersensitivity (overreactive) to lights, sounds, textures, or touch
Hyposensitivity (underreactive), which may lead to seeking out intense sensory input (ex. rocking, spinning, etc.)

How does sensory overload affect ASD patients during EMS encounters?

Ambulances can be sensory nightmares for individuals with ASD. Flashing lights, sirens, beeping monitors, smells, and bumpy motions are all potential triggers. Even light touch during assessments can feel threatening or overwhelming.

Common reactions in individuals with sensory overload can include:

meltdowns, loss of control, not willful behavior
withdrawal or shutting down
fight or flight response (may appear combative or uncooperative)
inability to communicate verbally

These symptoms can make treating these individuals extremely difficult.

Why is EMS education on ASD important?

Better understanding leads to better outcomes. When EMS providers know how to identify sensory needs and respond compassionately:

scenes are calmer
patients cooperation improves
safety increases for everyone
families feel supported- not fearful

"Personally, I think the sensory bags are a great addition to our ambulances. They are well organized. It helped out greatly when I used it on a 911 call. I was able to communicate with the kiddo a lot smoother than I would have been able to do without the bag and word flip book. Being in an ambulance is stressful enough for people, and 100x worse for autistic people, but using the bag definitely calmed some nerves down. I think they should be in places like daycares and schools, as I do believe they will make a positive impact in places where there are most likely going to be autistic kiddos and people."

Alianiz Rivera

MEDIC EMS of Scott County, EMT-B