Effect of Covid-19 lockdown on indian children with autism.

This study looked at how COVID-19 lockdowns affected 30 autistic children in India. Parents filled out questionnaires about their children before and after lockdown. The results showed children got worse in daily living skills, language, and behavior after lockdown. Many also developed new problems like sleep issues, trouble paying attention, mood swings, and hyperactivity.

This shows how important routine is for autistic children and highlights the need for home-based support during disruptions.

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on 30 Indian children with autism through parent questionnaires comparing pre- and post-lockdown functioning. Results showed significant regression across all assessed domains including activities of daily living, language, and behavioral characteristics, as well as school and therapy performance. Additional concerns emerged post-lockdown including disrupted sleep patterns, reduced attention span, limited eye contact, mood changes, and increased hyperactivity. The findings highlight the vulnerability of autistic children to routine disruption and emphasize the need for home-based intervention strategies and consideration of online therapy effectiveness during crisis situations.

Findings emphasize the critical importance of routine and structured environments for autistic children. Clinicians should develop contingency plans for maintaining support during crisis situations, including home-based intervention strategies and family training. Consideration needed for online therapy delivery methods and their effectiveness for this population during disruptions.

Small sample size (n=30) limits generalizability. Study design unclear - appears observational without control group. Relies solely on parent reports which may introduce bias. No standardized outcome measures specified. Lacks comparison to neurotypical children or pre-pandemic baseline data from different time periods.

To prevent the spread of Coronavirus-19 a complete lockdown was enforced in India by March, 2020. The lockdown led to drastic negative effects on the social and communicative life of people. Among these, children and adolescents have been majorly affected. The study aims to investigate the effect of lockdown on Indian children with Autism.

Thirty parents of children with Autism were given questionnaires to rate the performance of their children, pre- and post-lockdown. The questionnaires were analysed for development across activities of daily living (ADL), language and behavioral characteristics along with school and therapy performance. The results revealed a significant regression in performance of children post-lockdown which was evident across all the domains assessed. Various additional issues like changes in sleep patterns, inadequate sitting behavior, attention span, concentration, limited eye contact, mood swings, laziness, clumsiness, hyperactivity and impulsivity were also noted post-lockdown, which were not very prominent before lockdown.

The study anticipates to help be better prepared for such situations in future. This includes involvement of better intervention which includes home-based training strategies for these children. Moreover, the study highlights impact of online therapy and schooling for children with Autism.