Effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the care delivery to the children with autism spectrum disorder: a web-based cross-sectional study

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

Purpose

Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder need special attention for their mental and physical health and education. This study aims to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on them.

Design/methodology/approach

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on data collected from an online survey. Respondents were the parents or caregivers of autistic children aged 3–18. It measured opinions about the favorable and unfavorable behavioral changes related to their children during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Findings

In total, 131 respondents participated in the study. The mean age of their autistic children was 11.45 ± 4.26 years, of whom 78% were boys. Improved good behaviors during lockdowns included interaction with parents and siblings, eating healthy foods, quality of sleep, eye contact, pointing and asking for something, imitating sounds and phrases, sharing interests, reaction to emotions and empathy with family members, but sleep hours decreased.

Originality/value

Lockdown provided opportunities for examining the behaviors of children with autism taking into account its favorable and unfavorable effects, to improve communicating and behaving with these children.

Related collections

Most cited references 24

Record: found
Abstract: not found
Article: not found

Mental Health and the Covid-19 Pandemic

Betty Pfefferbaum, Carol North (2020)

0 comments Cited 1873 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Isolation, quarantine, social distancing and community containment: pivotal role for old-style public health measures in the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak

A. WILDER-SMITH, D Freedman (2020)

Public health measures were decisive in controlling the SARS epidemic in 2003. Isolation is the separation of ill persons from non-infected persons. Quarantine is movement restriction, often with fever surveillance, of contacts when it is not evident whether they have been infected but are not yet symptomatic or have not been infected. Community containment includes measures that range from increasing social distancing to community-wide quarantine. Whether these measures will be sufficient to control 2019-nCoV depends on addressing some unanswered questions.

0 comments Cited 954 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016

Matthew J Maenner, Kelly Shaw, Jon Baio … (2020)

Problem/Condition Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Period Covered 2016. Description of System The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is an active surveillance program that provides estimates of the prevalence of ASD among children aged 8 years whose parents or guardians live in 11 ADDM Network sites in the United States (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin). Surveillance is conducted in two phases. The first phase involves review and abstraction of comprehensive evaluations that were completed by medical and educational service providers in the community. In the second phase, experienced clinicians who systematically review all abstracted information determine ASD case status. The case definition is based on ASD criteria described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Results For 2016, across all 11 sites, ASD prevalence was 18.5 per 1,000 (one in 54) children aged 8 years, and ASD was 4.3 times as prevalent among boys as among girls. ASD prevalence varied by site, ranging from 13.1 (Colorado) to 31.4 (New Jersey). Prevalence estimates were approximately identical for non-Hispanic white (white), non-Hispanic black (black), and Asian/Pacific Islander children (18.5, 18.3, and 17.9, respectively) but lower for Hispanic children (15.4). Among children with ASD for whom data on intellectual or cognitive functioning were available, 33% were classified as having intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] ≤70); this percentage was higher among girls than boys (40% versus 32%) and among black and Hispanic than white children (47%, 36%, and 27%, respectively). Black children with ASD were less likely to have a first evaluation by age 36 months than were white children with ASD (40% versus 45%). The overall median age at earliest known ASD diagnosis (51 months) was similar by sex and racial and ethnic groups; however, black children with IQ ≤70 had a later median age at ASD diagnosis than white children with IQ ≤70 (48 months versus 42 months). Interpretation The prevalence of ASD varied considerably across sites and was higher than previous estimates since 2014. Although no overall difference in ASD prevalence between black and white children aged 8 years was observed, the disparities for black children persisted in early evaluation and diagnosis of ASD. Hispanic children also continue to be identified as having ASD less frequently than white or black children. Public Health Action These findings highlight the variability in the evaluation and detection of ASD across communities and between sociodemographic groups. Continued efforts are needed for early and equitable identification of ASD and timely enrollment in services.

0 comments Cited 934 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

All references

Author and article information

Contributors

Mirahmadizadeh Alireza :

Bio :

Alireza Mirahmadizadeh is based at the Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Heiran Alireza :

Bio :

Alireza Heiran is based at the Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Nemati Hamid :

Bio :

Hamid Nemati is based at the Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Aminnia Shiva :

Bio :

Shiva Aminnia is based at the Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Azadian Fatemeh :

Bio :

Fatemeh Azadian is based at the Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Rezaei Fatemeh :

Bio :

Fatemeh Rezaei is based at the Department of Social Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.

Sahebi Roya :

Bio :

Roya Sahebi is based at the Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Miyar Ata :

Bio :

Ata Miyar is based at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario (Western University), London, Ontario, Canada.

Sharifi Mohammad Hossein :

Bio :

Mohammad Hossein Sharifi is based at the Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Tavasoli Mojgan :

Bio :

Mojgan Tavasoli is based at the Child Development Center, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): AIA

Journal ID (doi): 10.1108/AIA

Title: Advances in Autism

Abbreviated Title: AIA

Publisher: Emerald Publishing

ISSN: 2056-3868

Publication date (Electronic, pub): 22 August 2023

Publication date (Print, pub): 08 November 2023

Volume: 9

Issue: 4

Pages: 353-363

Affiliations

[1]Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; , Shiraz, Iran

[2]Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; , Shiraz, Iran

[3]Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; , Shiraz, Iran

[4]Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; , Shiraz, Iran

[5]Department of Social Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences; , Jahrom, Iran

[6]Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; , Shiraz, Iran

[7]Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario (Western University); , London, Ontario, Canada

[8]Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; , Shiraz, Iran

[9]Child Development Center, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; , Shiraz, Iran

Author notes

Mohammad Hossein Sharifi can be contacted at: mhsharifi1350@gmail.com

Article

Publisher ID: 708376 Original-pdf ID: AIA-06-2022-0032.pdf Filename ID: AIA-06-2022-0032

DOI: 10.1108/AIA-06-2022-0032

SO-VID: 6a08ef64-15f3-4257-97c6-2e3e9ef4ffc7

History

Date received : 04 June 2022

Date: 23 October 2022

Date: 23 January 2023

Date accepted : 21 April 2023

Page count

Figures: 0, Tables: 4, Equations: 0, References: 26, Pages: 11, Words: 5157

Custom metadata

deliverables Web-ready article package

peer-reviewed Yes

academic-content Yes

EContentType JOURNAL

rightslink included

ScienceOpen disciplines: Health & Social care

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder,COVID-19,Lockdown

Data availability:

ScienceOpen disciplines: Health & Social care

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, COVID-19, Lockdown

Effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the care delivery to the children with autism spectrum disorder: a web-based cross-sectional study

Read this article at

Abstract

Purpose

Design/methodology/approach

Findings

Originality/value

Related collections

Novel Coronavirus Disease COVID-19

Most cited references 24

Mental Health and the Covid-19 Pandemic

Isolation, quarantine, social distancing and community containment: pivotal role for old-style public health measures in the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016

Author and article information

Contributors

Journal

Affiliations

Author notes

Article

History

Page count

Categories

Custom metadata

Comments

Comment on this article

Similar content 445

Most referenced authors 501