The closure of schools due to the coronavirus pandemic have created new challenges for parents with who have had to juggle being part-time educators as well. For those parents with children with autism, that challenge is even more daunting.
“Times are tough for everyone but can be particularly hard for people with autism and parents of children with autism. Parents are serving as teacher, aide, behavioral therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist and many other roles crucial for their child’s progress and development,” said Donna S. Murray, PhD. She is vice president of clinical programs and head of the Autism Treatment Network (ATN) at Autism Speaks.
“People with autism who live in group homes or full-time care facilities may be separated from their families, and adults living independently are coping with changes to their work environments and typical support systems. To help ease those feelings of isolation, it’s important to come together as a community and continue the kindness wherever we are.” said Murray.
Murray said the pandemic is affecting families with autistic children in many ways. “The combination of school closures, job cuts/uncertainty and changes to available behavioral supports and resources, along with the many other disruptions in daily routine, can make these times especially trying for individuals and families in the autism community.”
“Parents are adapting to managing their child learning from home as well as juggling their own job responsibilities. Coping with disrupted routines and increased anxiety can result in an increase in challenging behavior for some children creating additional challenges for parents.” she added.
“Changes to daily routines can lead to increased anxiety and problem behaviors. Parents should start by creating a new routine for home. A printed schedule with words or images can be a concrete way to keep expectations consistent from day to day for their child,” Murray said.
Murray said, “parents can demonstrate and teach more independent living skills and offer abundant praise and reinforcement for successes. We know parents are shouldering a lot of the work of teachers and specialists at home, so lean on your providers as much as you can.”
In an effort to keep the spirit of the Autism Month alive, on Saturday, April 25, Autism Speaks hosted Steps for Kindness – a nationwide event challenging the community to walk 5,400 steps in support of the one in 54 kids with autism and to celebrate World Autism Month together as a community.
For more information, go to AutismSpeaks.org.
