GROW Center for Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

• You can call us if you want to talk about what helps you feel comfortable.
• You can tell us if you need:
  • a quieter space
  • wait in your car instead of waiting room
  • sunglasses to help dim the lighting
  • less waiting room time
  • help with forms
  • extra time for the appointment

• Our front desk team will greet you kindly.
• If you prefer fewer sounds and less talking, just let us know.
• You can bring comfort items like headphones, fidgets, or communication boards.

• We will explain what we are doing before we do it.
• If something feels uncomfortable, you can tell us to pause.
• You can use any communication method you prefer—speech, AAC, gestures, or writing.

• We can give you a written summary of what happened.
• We can schedule your next visit before you leave.
• We can help connect you to specialists, therapy, or community support if needed.

Yes. You can bring a parent, caregiver, friend, or trusted person. If you want us to share health information with them, we will ask you to sign a simple consent form.

That is completely okay.

You can ask for:

• a break
• time to calm down
• fewer people in the room

You can communicate in any way that works for you.

We support:

• AAC devices
• Communication boards
• Typing or writing
• Gestures
• Limited speech
• Visual supports

Our job is to understand you, not the other way around.

At age 18, you are considered an adult. Your health information becomes private, but you can still involve your caregivers if you want. You just need to sign a form that allows us to share information. If you need help making health decisions, we can talk with you and your caregivers about supported decision making or other options.

You can tell us:

• “I prefer the lights dim.”
• “I need the room quiet.”
• “I like a step-by-step plan.”
• “I do better with visuals.”
• “I don’t like being touched without warning.”

Sharing this helps us make your visit smoother.

We recommend bringing:

• Any medical records you have
• Your medication list
• Your communication device (if you use one)
• Comfort items (headphones, fidgets, toys)
• The name of your previous doctor(s)

If you don’t have these, that’s okay—we can help you.

We can:

• Send pictures of the clinic before your visit
• Explain the visit step-by-step
• Let you come early
• Create a visual schedule
• Shorten or lengthen the visit depending on your needs

Just tell us what will help.