IMPACTS CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

COVID-19, first identified in Wuhan, China in 2019, has the SARS-CoV-2 virus as its etiological agent, spread rapidly around the world, became a pandemic and directly impacted the lives of individuals. Due to the advance of the pandemic the means for control was social isolation. Since individuals with autism spectrum disorder have difficulties in social interaction due to cognitive impairment, interpersonal development tends to be more impaired with the beginning of restrictive measures. This study aims to analyze the changes in the routine of individuals with autism spectrum disorder during social isolation. The search was conducted in the PubMed and BVS databases, using the following descriptors from the DECS database: autism spectrum disorder, covid pandemic and anxiety, using the Boolean indicator AND between words in the search fields. The inclusion criterium for the texts were: English, Portuguese and Spanish languages, from 2017 to 2022. As exclusion criterium, articles that did not address the topic were excluded. The study showed that with the closure of schools and migration to remote education, several students developed a regression in social interaction and triggered new psychiatric symptoms due to the change in routine. In compliance with safety protocols, cognitive-behavioral therapies, migrated to the digital medium and were also rejected at first, but were instrumental in controlling the creation and worsening of symptoms. Due to physical and social distancing requirements, individuals with autism spectrum disorder tend to have greater difficulties with social interaction after the COVID-19 pandemic. The change in routine contributes to the worsening of symptoms such as anxiety, aggressiveness, and irritability and can worsen the mental health of parents.