Selected strategies of supporting people with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic
The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes acute respiratory infection (COVID-19). First cases were reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and in March 2020, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, declared a pandemic. For this reason, many countries, including Poland, have introduced various types of restrictions, the main purpose of which was to limit in-person contacts and travel. These restrictions have put people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in a difficult situation. Consistent institutional support (therapy and school) became limited. People with ASD are especially sensitive to traumatic experiences resulting from the need to change their routines because of the pandemic. Negative experiences may additionally be exacerbated by the presence of mental comorbidities, such as anxiety disorders or depression. Therefore, it is very important for people with ASD and their families to implement short- and long-term strategies that mitigate both the immediate and deferred effects of the pandemic. The article highlights the challenges faced by people with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic and describes several support strategies that can help people who require routine in most areas of their life better adapt to new conditions. These strategies are based on Carol Gray’s social stories and AAC methods, which are used to deliver the content that is both large in scale and complex. Incorporating visual aids makes it possible to create easy-to-understand recommendations, which in turn increases the chance of their correct implementation. This is highly important, especially in difficult and dangerous situations.