Neurodiverse children's 'distress' in A&E eased by new immersive room

The parents of a boy with autism say a new immersive room at their local hospital's A&E department will "change so many lives".

Robert and Gemma Cummings have spent a year fundraising to open the room at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, which is the first of its kind in Wales.

The project was inspired by their own "distressing" experiences with their six-year-old son Ellis, who struggles with "sensory overload".

They hope the room will allow children to receive emergency care without parents worrying about whether or not hospital visits are worth the potential of trauma.

Ellis was diagnosed with autism at age four after his nursery noticed he was not meeting developmental milestones.

The family, from Merthyr, spent many years visiting A&E, which was "really challenging" as Ellis is non-verbal.

Mrs Cummings explained Ellis was "very sensory-driven", so "the sights, sounds, and smells would be complete sensory overload for him".

"It would result in us getting really worked up and upset as we would be conscious of everyone around us and also the staff," she said.

Mr Cummings added that seeing Ellis "so distressed" was hard for them as well, creating a "barrier" to future A&E visits and adding to the challenges they already faced.

Mr Cummings said the idea came following a chat with one of Ellis' doctors.

Initally, the plan was to have a sensory room, with bubble lamps but, after visiting Greenfield School's immersive room, they aimed higher.

An immersive room is a multi-sensory space that uses technology to simulate real or imagined environments, helping children with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) feel more at ease and engaged.

Prince Charles Hospital found a space within the paediatrics A&E department for the immersive room, but realised it would cost £27,000 to install.

The Cwm Taf Morgannwg NHS Charity committed to covering half the cost, while Mr and Mrs Cummings raised the remainder.

In October 2024, they launched a fundraising page expecting modest support, but Mrs Cummings said "overnight it completely blew up", with "generous" help from the local community.

Mr Cummings said: "It was absolutely mind-blowing, it completely blew us away.

"It's great how everyone's come together because without these people this couldn't have been achieved."

Mrs Cummings said Ellis used the new room during his emergency visit a few weeks ago, and it transformed their experience.

Instead of the usual "awful" distress of "head butting the walls, kicking, screaming, pinching", he relaxed and allowed staff to examine him.

She said it made the process calmer for Ellis, and "ultimately was just a much better situation for everyone".

Similarly, Mr Cummings said they had another positive experience with Ellis as they were opening the room, as he quickly calmed and became "happy and regulated" in the immersive space.

The couple said their aim out of this is to support as many children as possible with additional needs and reduce stress in A&E.

Mrs Cummings said she hopes it will let children get the care they need without parents "weighing up the options" and being anxious.

"We don't want people holding off on care that a child needs because they're frightened of the escalation of them just getting completely overwhelmed," she added.

"It really will be a game changer."

Natasha Davies, manager of the paediatric emergency department, described the immersive room as "incredible" and said it would have an "absolutely gigantic effect" on families.

Having been closely involved in Ellis' care, she explained that looking after children with additional needs had always been "difficult" due to limited resources and quiet spaces.

She added the new room would make treating children much easier for healthcare professionals.

"It's engaging, fun, and makes the hospital a far less frightening place for the children," Ms Davies said.

Abe Sampson, from the Cwm Taf Morgannwg NHS charity, said the team was "delighted" to be part of this "incredibly special project".

He explained the charity supported initiatives that were "over and above" what the NHS would usually provide.

"We hope this room is just the beginning and that we'll see more of these spaces across our hospital sites, across Cwm Taf Morgannwg and beyond," Mr Sampson said.

"It really does make such an amazing difference for patients like Ellis."