The staff at Success on the Spectrum went to great measures to protect its clients, the children, from Covid-19. The high standard measures taken, continue to be practiced and enforced in an on-going effort to stop the spread of the virus.
Children with Autism are known to struggle with change and have difficulty interacting with others. In addition, 20% of people with autism spectrum disorders are also found to have anxiety and 11% suffer from depressive disorders.
Recent studies have proven that the additional stress cause by the COVID Pandemic have worsened their core symptoms of autism. In fact, preexisting behavioral problems were at a higher risk of being more intense and frequent during the pandemic.
Most children with Autism do not have the ability to form abstract thoughts. They were not able to fully understand the potential health threat or the deaths happening around them. Therefore, they were not able to follow or benefit from the increased hygiene and sanitation routines.
Autistic children are notoriously known for their dedication to daily routines. Children who attend speicla needs schools or ABA therapy struggled with the isolation process. Exercise was stifled and the number of hours that children slept significantly decreased.
Although ABA Therapy is deemed an essential service, many providers were unable to find enough staff, sanitation supplies, and personal protection equipment to remain open. Treatment services were interrupted, and many children experienced regression.
The mental health of the parents/caregivers of children with Autism are not to be forgotten. Parents were unable to utilize support from family and friends to care for their child. Many parents were at a near panic when they were unable to buy their child’s preferred foods. There was little respite during the lockdown, increasing self reported anxiety and depression.
Throughout the unprecedented ordeal, Success On The Spectrum was a beacon of hope for it’s clients. Different from any other ABA provider, SOS is a national franchise. The support of the franchise system utilized it’s large supply accounts and shared resources to all of it’s locations. Every therapy center remained open and continued to provide Autism Treatment to clients.
Founder, Nichole Daher, tells the worlds how proud she is of this franchise model for making such a positive impact on the community.
REFERENCES:
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Colizzi M, Sironi E, Antonini F, Ciceri ML, Bovo C, Zoccante L. Psychosocial and behavioral impact of COVID-19 in autism spectrum disorder: an online parent survey. Brain Sci. 2020;10(6):341.
White LC, Law JK, Daniels AM, Toroney J, Vernoia B, Xiao S, et al. Brief report: impact of COVID-19 on individuals with ASD and their caregivers: a perspective from the SPARK cohort. J Autism Dev Disor
Ameis SH, Lai MC, Mulsant BH, Szatmari P. Coping, fostering resilience, and driving care innovation for autistic people and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Mol Autism. 2020;11:61.
Bull L.E., Oliver C., Woodcock K.A. Signalling changes to individuals who show resistance to change can reduce challenging behaviour. J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatr. 2017 Mar 1;54:58–70.