When I was 12 years old, I had braces, and it was a time before Invisalign, so I got the full discomfort of the metal ones. I am not even kidding when I say that those 5 years felt like my teeth were stuck in a painful prison.
Even this possibly autistic 13-year-old is not a big fan of braces, but his mom somehow talked him into it. Little did she know that the dentist visit would quickly turn hostile as the man accused her of forcing her kid into it. Here’s what really happened…
Kids are not really enthusiastic about having braces, as they can be uncomfortable and painful
Image credits: gpointstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster's 13-year-old son has ADHD, and she also suspects autism, plus his teeth are quite crooked, so she convinced him to get braces
Image credits: Shmee1988
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When the orthodontist asked him if he would like braces, the kid said no, so the man refused to treat him against his wishes
Image credits: Shmee1988
Image credits: fxquadro / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The mom tried to explain how the kid answered his literal question, but he is ready for braces; however, the dentist just refused to budge
Image credits: Shmee1988
In fact, he even threatened to report her if she visited again, and the kid said no, which left her utterly confused
Today, we dive into quite a problematic story as the original poster (OP) tells us about how a dentist visit quickly turned sour. The thing is, her 13-year-old son has ADHD, but she also suspects autism, and is awaiting his assessment. The boy’s adult teeth are not straight, so someone recommended that he visit an orthodontist.
The problem is that the NHS wait list is so long that he finally got an appointment after 3 years. Like most of us, he didn’t really want braces, but the poster convinced him that it was the right time. However, things took a turn when the dentist asked him whether he would like braces, and the boy said, "No." Lo and behold, the man asked them to visit him again after 2 years!
OP tried to reason with him and tell him about her son’s condition. He just gave a literal answer to the question, but didn’t say no to braces. Her protest fell on deaf ears, and the dentist just refused to budge. In fact, he went so far as to threaten her that when they visited again, and if the boy said no, he would report her. Ugh, the poor poster must be so annoyed.
She vented online and expressed that all kids in general are nervous when it comes to getting braces. Well, netizens immediately jumped to her defense and claimed the man was discriminating against the boy. Research also shows that autistic people are often subject to discrimination, including unjust deprivation of health care, so what they’re saying seems to be true.
Image credits: dimaberlin / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Every patient deserves to get the proper treatment that they need, and they should not be treated unfairly in such a manner. Experts also warn that these practitioners should have the proper skills to interact with neurodivergent patients or communicate with their parents. It seems that this dentist is lacking in both areas, as he just couldn’t comprehend what the mom said.
Almost all of the folks said that his lack of understanding about neurodivergent patients sounded unprofessional, and she should raise a complaint against him. However, there were just a few who claimed he was only doing his job. They said that, as per the NHS, competent minors can refuse treatment, but OP argued that he was fully prepared for it.
Sometimes, people fail to understand that neurodivergent kids communicate based on their intellectual and social development. Time and again, it has been observed how difficult it can be for them. In such a situation, don’t you think they need someone who understands them, instead of someone who has no awareness of them at all?
The poster also commented that the dentist made it seem like she was violently forcing her kid into something that he didn’t want. This made her feel truly awful, and she emailed the clinic about his behavior. Well, I hope she finds a solution soon and doesn’t have to wait for another 2 years to get an appointment, all thanks to an ignorant person.
If you were in her shoes, what would you do? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Netizens instantly said that the dentist was discriminating against her possibly autistic son, and she needs to raise a complaint against him
