Caregivers' Experiences Taking Care of Children and Teenagers With Autism Spectrum Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand: A Qualitative Approach.
Chalisa Rujilekpanya, Wilai Napa, Tusana Thaweekoon
PMID 40974287WHAT IT FOUND
Fifteen Thai caregivers of children and teenagers with autism described lockdowns as followed by social withdrawal, self-stimulation, snacking and screen time.
They described taking over developmental and daily-care training and feeling stress. Some relied on local volunteers for medicine and food.
Key findings
01Caregivers said lockdown rules kept children and teenagers with autism at home, and they described decreased social connection, increased self-stimulation, constant snacking, weight gain, and more screen time.
02Caregivers adapted by teaching mask-wearing and handwashing, providing developmental activities at home, and supporting daily-care routines such as brushing teeth, bathing, dressing and eating.
03Caregivers described anxiety and stress about infection and school closure, and they needed help with developmental resources, guidance, and delivery of medication and food.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Fifteen caregivers were recruited from one outpatient clinic in northern Thailand and needed to speak Thai, so the experiences may not represent other settings or families. Data were collected from August 2023 to August 2024, and the authors said transferability to normal conditions is limited. The children's autism severity, functioning and verbal abilities were not systematically assessed, so it is unclear which caregiver experiences apply to more or less dependent children. All children had no severe physical comorbidities and were receiving regular developmental follow-up, so the findings may not apply to children with other health problems or less stable care. The study describes experiences and does not test any intervention or outcome.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was partially funded by an intramural grant to the first author.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read caregivers' adaptation and community help as evidence that any programme reduced child behavior problems or caregiver stress. This study describes 15 caregivers' experiences and does not test an intervention.