COVID-19 PANDEMIC: ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIORAL AND CLINICAL CHANGES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.1593632324086

• Palavras-chave: Autistic Spectrum Disorder; COVID-19; Signs and symptoms; behavioral symptoms

• Keywords: Autistic Spectrum Disorder; COVID-19; Signs and symptoms; behavioral symptoms

• Abstract:

  The emergence of the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, spread in a pandemic way, which led Brazilian states and municipalities to adopt social distancing measures as a strategy to reduce the number of cases and help control the disease. These measures reach different population strata and territories, which triggers an increase in the levels of psychological stress in the general population, especially in the child population with pre-existing mental disorders, such as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD carriers are characterized by persistent deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication, in social interaction, in addition to difficulties in various domains of development and adaptive functions. Thus, in view of the above, the present cross-sectional study aims to relate and investigate the behavioral and clinical changes of children with autism spectrum disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020/2021.