The impact of COVID-19 on children with autism spectrum disorder
The impact of COVID-19 on children with autism spectrum disorder
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DOI：
10.33588/rn.7108.2020381
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发表时间：
2020-10-16
影响因子：
1.2
通讯作者：
Guardiano, Micaela
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Amorim, Rita;Catarino, Sara;Guardiano, Micaela
导论.患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童经常经历改变日常生活是一项重大挑战。因此，在COVID-19大流行期间需要适应可能给患有这种疾病的儿童的家庭带来了重大问题。探讨2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）爆发期间ASD儿童及其父母的社会隔离经历。我们进行了一项观察性、横断面和分析性研究。我们应用了一份匿名问卷，其中包括儿童的人口统计学和临床特征，沿着COVID-19爆发对家庭日常生活各个方面的影响。在获得的99份问卷中，43份与ASD儿童相关，56份与对照组相关。自闭症谱系障碍儿童主要有行为变化，而对照组儿童大多没有变化。大多数自闭症儿童的父母在情绪管理方面有负面影响，而对照组的父母则大多有正面影响或没有影响。照顾者报告自己的焦虑水平高于他们的孩子的平均分数。ASD儿童及其父母的焦虑水平高于健康儿童。在ASD组中，没有保持常规的儿童比保持常规的儿童有更高的平均焦虑水平。我们的研究结果显示，COVID-19大流行不仅对患有神经发育障碍的儿童，而且对他们的照顾者也有潜在的重要心理影响。医生必须做好准备，以便在大流行后对家庭中的精神障碍进行监测。
Introduction. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience changing routines as a major challenge. For that reason, the need for adaptation during COVID-19 pandemic may have brought major problems to families with children with this pathology.Aim. To explore how children with ASD and their parents experienced the social isolation during COVID-19 outbreak period.Subjects and methods. We conducted an observational, cross-sectional and analytical study. We applied an anonymous questionnaire that included children's demographic and clinical characteristics, along with the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in different aspects of family's daily life.Results. Out of 99 questionnaires obtained, 43 were related to children with ASD and 56 to control group. Children with ASD predominantly had changes in behavior, while children from control group mostly found no changes. The majority of parents of ASD children reported a negative impact in emotion management against those in control group reporting mostly positive or no impact. Caregivers reported higher mean scores of anxiety levels in themselves than in their children. ASD children and their parents had higher levels of anxiety than healthy ones. In the group with ASD, children that did not maintain routines had higher mean levels of anxiety than children that maintained routines.Conclusion. Our results show a potential important psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic not only in children with neurodevelopmental disorders but in their caregivers as well. Physicians must be prepared for the post-pandemic surveillance of mental disorders among families.