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disabilities do not have full access to healthcare facilities and services partly because their structures and equipment are not disability friendly. For instance, it was found that in California less than half of the primary healthcare facilities are fully accessible. In addition, these healthcare facilities have limited resources and equipment to accommodate people with disabilities8 ; what more of developing and underdeveloped countries. Since some of the medical equipment and materials employed to conduct complete medical examinations for this special population are not adapted for this special group, the care they receive is obviously limited. Healthcare providers especially nurses need to make their services accessible to all children with disabilities.22 The disparities in accessing healthcare and healthcare services can be decreased by making the architecture of every health facility disability friendly and the available equipment and protocols should also accommodate all individuals with disabilities.13 The specifications should conform to the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) standards for defining accessibility of medical equipment established in 2013. This will go a long way to enhance accessibility to care which will in turn ensure a comprehensive and quality care for all persons with disabilities particularly children with autism and other developmental disabilities. ACCESSING APPROPRIATE AND TIMELY HEALTHCARE Health promotion and disease prevention for children with autism in particular and adults in general are important parts of public health activities. The Westminster Commission on Autism advocated for preventive healthcare for adults with autism supporting the need for the detecting and managing individuals with autism’s unmet health needs.23 It is mandatory to organize autism training that includes staff awareness (nurses in particular), communication and reasonable adjustments with respect to environment and procedures. In addition, behavior management to support children with autism should be taken into consideration. Also of importance is the implementation of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Autistic Spectrum Disorder toolkit, which could help make clear a range of modalities such as support in the delivery of reasonable adjustments, access to formal autism training, and clarifying issues of diagnosis and referral pathways.13 This will go a long way to make primary care practices autism friendly and ensure access to appropriate and timely healthcare. Pediatr Neonatal Nurs Open J. 2022; 8(1): 1-13. doi: 10.17140/PNNOJ-8-134 Review | Volume 8 | Number 1| Eta VEA 5 STRENGTHENING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WORKFORCE CAPACITY Due to the report on the poor health of children with disabilities there is need for capacity building for nurses and other healthcare providers regarding the care of individuals with disabilities. The lack of or limited knowledge and skills regarding the care of children with disabilities among healthcare practitioners act as a major barrier to the provision of competent and suitable healthcare to this special group.21 Literature reveals inappropriate care rendered to children with disabilities due to inadequate preparedness and lack of knowledge on the part of healthcare providers. As a result, the complex medical and psychosocial needs of children with disabilities are not met. Hence, building the capacity of healthcare providers (especially nurse who are the first to see these children) with respect to disability care is mandatory. Such training may involve different topics including Public Health Workers and Clinical Care Providers’ Awareness on Disability and Life Cycle, and Care for children with Disabilities among others.24 Empowering healthcare providers with knowledge and skills regarding the care of children with developmental disabilities especially those with autism could go a long way to enhance early diagnosis and intervention for this special population. Approaches to reduce inequalities for children with disabilities are summarized in Appendix. HEALTH CONDITIONS FREQUENTLY AFFECTING CHILDREN WITH AUTISM Autism is the most commonly
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