IMPACTO DAS MEDIDAS DE CONTENÇÃO DA PANDEMIA PELA COVID-19 NO DESENVOLVIMENTO SINTOMATOLÓGICO DE PACIENTES PEDIÁTRICOS COM TRANSTORNO DO ESPECTRO AUTISTA

Abstract

The restrictions caused by COVID-19 had an impact on the daily and therapeutic activities of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), justifying a measurement of this impact on the sensory, cognitive, physical and behavioral spheres of these patients. The objetive is To assess and quantify, through a standardized score to assess the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary treatment of children and adolescents with ASD, the evolution of patients after the onset of social restrictions due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. After studying the profile of the studied patient and his family, a retroactive analysis and comparison was performed (before the pandemic), one during restrictions and another after 6 months of normalization of therapeutic activities, of the scores of both the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) completed by guardians of 20 children aged 4 to 12 years with ASD in a multidisciplinary therapy center. Data analysis performed through T-Test for paired samples. The Shapiro-Wilk test demonstrated normal distribution of the data obtained for the pre-pandemic data and for the first evaluation after the beginning of the pandemic. The Student's T test for a paired sample showed that there is statistical relevance, in the analysis of the total score, for symptom worsening due to interruption of therapies with P value < 0.05. In the second evaluation, of the 10 reevaluated patients, 6 showed improvement in the score and 4 remained with worsening. The discontinuation of the various therapies and the limitation of social interaction had a negative impact on the evolution of the children and adolescents evaluated in the present study and, although a small portion of the individuals studied showed an improvement in the total ATEC score, there was statistical relevance for the symptomatic worsening. after cessation of therapies.