A qualitative examination of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with autism and their parents.
Jenna Stadheim, Ashley Johns, Melissa Mitchell and 3 others
PMID 35447501WHAT IT FOUND
Most parents reported their children lost previously mastered skills, but others noted gains in daily living and reduced stress.
Families need flexible service delivery and caregiver training to navigate disruptions.
Key findings
01Parents reported children losing previously mastered skills in areas like social communication, self-care, and fine motor control due to lack of routine and services.
02Some parents reported unexpected benefits, including progress in independent living skills like toileting and dressing, and reduced stress from fewer social demands.
03Continuity of services was a key protective factor, with some families benefiting from in-home therapy hours increasing while others found telehealth ineffective.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was predominantly white, middle-to-high income, and from a single state, so findings may not generalize to lower-income or marginalized families. Data were collected at a single time point, so changes over time were not tracked. The survey was not piloted, which may have affected the clarity of questions.
Declared interests
Funded by the Flinn Foundation. Authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume all children with autism experienced skill loss. Some parents reported gains in daily living skills and reduced stress, so individual assessment is required rather than applying a universal narrative of deficit.