Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders or ADHD Can Safely Wear Face Covers | News

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can safely wear a facial cover. report Conducted by researchers at the Washington School of Medicine.

Benjamin Aaronson, director of the Apex Summer Camp at the UW Autism Center and lead author of the treatise, explained why the study was conducted.

“When we conducted the survey, there was really no data on whether children could be masked,” Aaronson said. “There was only data about surgeons and hospital people wearing masks, but no one even knew if the kids could tolerate it.”

For children with ASD or ADHD, mask requirements can be potentially stressful.

“There were some concerns, especially because of sensory problems not only in ADHD, but also in children with autism,” Aaronson said. “Can they stay on the mask for a long time? That’s why they really encouraged us to do this research.”

The study included 104 children between the ages of 5 and 13. Participants included children who were not diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, or both.

For four weeks in July 2020, the children participated in a summer treatment program at the UW Autism Center. From Monday to Friday, the camp consisted of children who participated in the camp for about 6 hours and participated in activities offered by the camp such as sports, group discussions, lunch and breaks. Each activity was recorded in a span of 10 to 15 minutes before changing the interval. During these activities, children can earn points by showing positive behavior such as helping others, sharing, following camp guidelines, and showing sportsmanship. This year, points for wearing masks have been added.

“In our program, children usually earn points for specific actions such as support, sharing, and contribution,” Aaronson said. “So what we did was add a face cover to the program and said,” OK, when children wear masks for 10 or 15 minutes, they receive a masking bonus, which is their program Will be part of. See if it helps and if the kids can mask [properly].. ‘”

The final results showed that 89 out of 104 children covered their faces during at least 75% of their activity. This has extended to meal times when children do not have to wear face covers. In addition, the study found that older children wear masks more often than younger children.

“Older children, whether autistic or ADHD, were masked at more than 90%,” Aaronson said. “The younger children had a little more trouble.”

The 7-year-old masked 61% of the interval and the 12-year-old masked 92% of the interval.

Aaronson emphasized the importance of this study, taking into account the need for social interaction in children.

“For many children with special needs, when the school moved or zoomed to a remote location, it meant they had no school at all,” Aaronson said. “Some of the families I work with do not have computer access to school.”

The study also showed that children with ASD or ADHD can go to school and other environments that require masks and follow mandatory guidelines.

“It was important to show that our children, those in need of special education, can follow good health habits,” Aaronson said. “I insist that face-to-face schools need to be one of the educational options for children with special needs. Zoom schools are not enough, we as a society, and By law, we are responsible for providing all children with what we call “FAPE”. Free, appropriate, and public education. “

Contact reporter Lorcan Stokes [email protected].. Twitter: @LorcanStokes

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