The last two years were especially difficult for parents of differently-abled children. COVID-induced lockdowns brought to the fore countless challenges, and adversely affected children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their caregivers with the closure of schools, parks, discontinuation of therapy.
“Most parents found it exhausting meeting their children’s needs alone at home and keeping them occupied. Children showed symptoms of behavioural outburst and anxiety suffered from lack of sleep which was primarily incurred due to disturbed daily routine,” said Sumana Dutta, certified autism consultant and founder of Akshadhaa Foundation, HRBR Layout.
Parents whom The Hindu spoke to ahead of World Autism Awareness Day observed on April 2 said they felt helpless and burnt out when pandemic-related restrictions were in place. “The pandemic took a huge toll on us. I had to attend to my son as well as manage household chores. It adversely affected my mental well-being. I started seeking counselling and continue to do so till date,” said Pradeepa, whose son was diagnosed with ASD.
Online hurdles
Many children with ASD also found it difficult to attend sessions online. “It was an uphill task to make children sit for online therapy sessions. They became impatient when confined to the four walls. For better guidance, we conducted online sessions for parents and addressed their needs,” said Shubhra Shanker Vinay, a speech language pathologist.
Another mother, Sujatha Satyamadhava, recalled how difficult it was to get her son Phalgun to attend online classes. “The lockdown disrupted his daily routine. He wasn’t really comfortable with online classes. We decided to keep him engaged with some indoor games which gave us the opportunity to bond with him over the course of the pandemic,” said Ms. Satyamadhava, who works at Academy for Severe Handicaps and Autism (ASHA).
Teachers, too, found themselves experimenting with ways to keep their students engaged, but acknowledged that it was an uphill task. “Children with ASD fare better in a social setting, but we had to switch to online education. We prepared teaching aids to make sessions more interesting and engaging,” says Sumalatha, Special Educator at ASHA.
Now that COVID-19 cases have eased and restrictions lifted, children are returning to these centres, but teachers and therapists have observed that they have regressed. “We had to begin from scratch,” said Lucy Christopher, programme manager at MANNA, Centre For Special Needs Children.
