Experiences of mothers caring for a child with an intellectual disability during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands.
P Embregts, L Heerkens, N Frielink and 3 others
PMID 34076326WHAT IT FOUND
Five mothers described intense fear of their children getting sick, leading some to cancel professional care.
They struggled to balance safety with daily life, finding calm in reduced social demands but noting their children missed school routines and friends.
Key findings
01All five mothers feared their child would get seriously ill from COVID-19 due to underlying medical issues, with some believing their child might not survive an infection.
02Mothers struggled to balance strict infection control with manageable family life, with some cancelling all professional support and others accepting help when self-quarantine became unsustainable.
03Reduced social expectations and fewer daily pressures during lockdown brought a sense of calm to some families, with mothers observing fewer temper tantrums and less stress.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Very small sample of only five mothers, all biological and living with a partner. No fathers, mothers from culturally diverse backgrounds, or families with children in residential care were included. Data reflects only the first lockdown period, so experiences may have changed later. Findings are specific to the Netherlands' lockdown context.
Declared interests
No external funding was received. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these themes as generalisable evidence for all families. The study included only five mothers, all of whom were biological and lived with a partner, so the findings cannot represent the wider population of parents caring for children with intellectual disabilities.