Exams Under Anaesthesia

“Exams Under Anaesthesia (EUA) Graphics: Equity and Neurodiversity in the Operating Room” is a project undertaken by the UBC Comic Studies Cluster, led by Dr Elizabeth Nijdam, in collaboration with community-based pediatrician Anamaria Richardson, that seeks cartoonists to create short graphic novels based on the experiences of neurodiverse children on their experience in the BC healthcare system.

This project focuses on the often challenging and complex interactions that neurodiverse children, including those with autism, intellectual impairments, and limited verbal capacity, face within medical settings. Specifically, it addresses their experiences with Exams Under Anesthesia (EUA) at BC Children’s Hospital. These procedures, necessary for children with complex behavioural needs, can be traumatic for children, families, and clinicians alike. The EUA process involves using sedation to facilitate necessary medical interventions that might otherwise be extremely difficult.

Applications for the project started on September 1st and the nine artists were notified of their selection on September 5th. Each artist was tasked with creating a short comic of 8-12 pages, drawing from interviews with parents of neurodiverse children. These narratives aim to shed light on the nuanced and often underrepresented experiences of these families, moving beyond traditional academic research methods to make these stories accessible and relatable to a broader audience.

On September 21st, the artists participated in a one-day workshop at BC Children’s Hospital, ongoing conversations with parents, Dr. Richardson, Dr. Nijdam, and keynote speaker Rebecca Burgess, a UK-based freelance comic artist and illustrator living. On Friday, 17th November, the artists completed a review session with Rebecca Burgess, where they received feedback on their in-progress drafts and received clarity on their doubts and questions. Currently, the nine artists have submitted their first drafts, which are currently under review by Dr. Nijdam and Dr. Richardson.

The project not only seeks to increase awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by neurodiverse children in healthcare but also aims to foster empathy and informed practices among healthcare professionals and the general public. The comics, once finalized, will be exhibited at the BC Children’s Hospital in May 2024, offering a powerful and engaging medium for storytelling and advocacy.

As this project progresses, the UBC Comics Studies Cluster and Dr. Anamaria Richardson anticipate that this project will open new pathways for about the power of comics to intervene in discourses in the medical sciences and healthcare system.