ERIC Number: EJ1292602
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1931-5864
EISSN: N/A
My Son Can't Socially Distance or Wear a Mask: How Families of Preschool Children with Severe Developmental Delays and Challenging Behavior Experienced the COVID-19 Pandemic
Paulauskaite, Laura; Farris, Ola; Spencer, Helen M.; EPICC-ID group; Hassiotis, Angela
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, v14 n2 p225-236 2021
Background: Families of children with developmental delays (DD) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced inequalities in accessing health and social care services. Measures put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus have potentially exacerbated existing inequalities and have led to additional pressures for these families. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional online survey of parents of young children with moderate to severe DD and challenging behaviors living in England, UK. We asked about the impact the pandemic has had on their family well-being, receipt of support, and post COVID-19 concerns. Results: Eighty-eight parents who are participants in an ongoing clinical trial (EPICC-ID) reported a broad range of challenges they faced during the pandemic: lack of information specific to children with DD; difficulties following social distancing and isolation rules; disruption or pause of health and social care services; deterioration in parental mental health and regression of the child's skills. Future access to services, negative long-term impact of school closures, parental unemployment were the parents' main post-COVID-19 concerns. Conclusions: Families of children with significant developmental delays fear lasting impact of the pandemic on their own psychological and material wellbeing and on their child's health. These families require urgent help to meet major health and social care needs and should be prioritized within an overall children's mental health strategy. The article includes a "commentary" from parents with lived experience.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Developmental Delays, Preschool Children, Severe Disabilities, Behavior Problems, COVID-19, Pandemics, Disease Control, Health Behavior, Parent Attitudes, Well Being, Access to Health Care, Access to Information, Standards, Mental Health, Family Environment, Access to Education, School Closing, Unemployment, Child Health, Telecommunications
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A