The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on children with neurodevelopmental disorder

ABSTRACT

Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on children with neurodevelopmental disorders through Tele-Medicine system. Method: Children aged between 7-18 years old with neurodevelopmental disorders were evaluated. On the routine control visit day, they and their parents were called by phone via the Tele-Medicine system and a questionnaire prepared by the researchers was applied to evaluate the compliance process to the pandemic. The disease severity of the cases was evaluated by the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Results: In our study, 17.6% of the cases were girls and 82.4% were boys. The average age is 11.66 +/- 3.46 years. In this study 51% of the cases were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder;47.1% with Intellectual Disability and 17.6% with Special Learning Disorder. The comorbidity of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder was found to be 49%. Increased anxiety is reported by 25.5% of the cases, appetite and nutritional problems by %37.3 and sleep pattern changes by 62.7%. Pre-pandemic score of Clinical Global Impression Scale was evaluated as 3.82 +/- 0.81, and the score during the pandemic as 4.09+/-0.87. Discussion: It was found that, in the early period of the Covid-19 pandemic, the most common problems of the cases with neurodevelopmental disorder were the sleep pattern changes, appetite and nutritional problems and increased anxiety. It is thought that our findings will guide psychosocial support interventions for children and adolescents with developmental problems during the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Turkish) Amac COVID19 pandemisinin, norogelisimsel bozuklugu olan cocuklar uzerine olan etkisinin Tele-Tip uygulamasi ile degerlendirilmesi amaclanmistir. Yontem Calismada, norogelisimsel bozukluk tanisi olan 7-18 yas araligindaki cocuk ve gencler degerlendirilmistir. Randevu tarihlerinde Tele-Tip Sistemi kapsaminda telefonla aranip kendileri ve ebeveynleriyle gorusulmus, pandemiye uyum surecini degerlendirmek amaciyla arastirmacilarin hazirladigi anket uygulanmistir. Pandemi oncesi ve sonrasi hastalik siddeti Klinik Global Izlenim Olcegi ile degerlendirilmistir. Bulgular Degerlendirilen 51 olgunun %17.6'si kiz, %82.4'u erkektir. Yas ortalamasi 11.66 +/- 3.46 yildir. Calismaya alinan olgularin %51'i Otizm Spektrum Bozuklugu;%47.1'i Zihinsel Yetersizlik;%17.6'si Ozel Ogrenme Bozuklugu tanisi ile izlenmektedir. Dikkat Eksikligi ve Hiperaktivite Bozuklugu komorbiditesi %49 olarak saptanmistir. Olgularin %25.5'i kaygi artisi, %37.3'u istah ve beslenme duzeni degisikligi, %62.7'si uyku degisikligi bildirmistir. Olgularin pandemi oncesi Klinik Global Izlenim Olcegi puani 3.82+/-0.81, pandemi surecindeki puani 4.09+/-0.87 olarak degerlendirilmistir. Sonuc Covid-19 pandemisinin erken doneminde, norogelisimsel bozukluk tanisi ile izlemde olan cocuk ve genclerin en sik uyku duzeni degisiklikleri, istah ve beslenme sorunlari ve kaygi artisi saptanmistir. Bulgularimizin pandemi surecinde gelisimsel sorunlari olan cocuk ve genclere yonelik gelistirilecek psikososyal destek mudahalelerine yol gosterici olacagi dusunulmustur. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)