COVID-19 and behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder: Disparities by income and food security status.
Anita A Panjwani, Regan L Bailey, Bridgette L Kelleher
PMID 34147945WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers reported moderate-to-large negative behavior changes in 74% of children with ASD during pandemic regulations.
Food insecurity was a stronger predictor than income alone. Clinicians should screen for food access when managing behavioral escalations in these families.
Key findings
0174% of respondents reported a moderate-to-large change in their child's overall behavior post-regulations.
02Food insecurity remained significantly associated with negative behavioral impact even after adjusting for income and other factors, unlike income which lost significance in combined models.
03Increased hyperactivity, tantrums, and sleep disruption were significantly associated with both lower income and food insecurity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Cross-sectional design relies on caregiver recall to compare pre- and post-pandemic behaviors, introducing potential bias. No control group of typically developing children or non-pandemic baseline data was included. Sample was recruited via social media (Facebook), which may introduce selection bias and limit generalizability. Self-reported data only; no objective measures of behavior or food security were used.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that income level alone predicts behavioral deterioration in children with ASD during crises. This study found that food insecurity was a more significant factor than household income in adjusted models, so focusing only on financial status may miss families at high risk for behavioral escalation.