Autism through the Pandemic
As Autism Awareness Month comes to a close, I thought what better subject for our blog? Many of our clients at The Music Therapy Center of California (MTCCA), including those with autism, have had unique experiences through the pandemic. Exciting milestones in their lives have been shaped by lockdowns and social distancing. For some, it has inspired songs about the lockdown lifestyle. For others, it has looked like drive-thru graduations and music therapy over zoom.
One of MTCCA’s most loyal clients, Reid Moriarty, has been inspired to write dozens of songs about his experience through the pandemic. His mother’s piece for the San Diego Union Tribune shares about their family’s resilience living with autism through the pandemic. Everyone has experienced jarring changes this year. Stark changes in routine can be especially challenging for families with autism. Author Andrea Moriarty writes, “If necessity is the mother of invention, autism moms are inventors of the century.”
What many may not know is that autism may be a risk-factor for COVID-19. The research is new, but slowly gaining credibility. A study published by the National Center for Biotechnology examines why autistic individuals may be at a higher risk for health complications with COVID-19. The physiopathology of autism can involve abnormal immune responses which can make recovery from COVID-19 more challenging.
Sophy Chaffee, a parent of one of our clients, writes about her autistic son’s experience with the global pandemic in her piece for the San Diego Union Tribune. A common aspect of autism is difficulty identifying and expressing pain. She shares about her concerns that if her son contracted the deadly coronavirus, he may not have expressed feeling feverish or losing his sense of smell and taste, which could delay interventions to help him heal. Thankfully, he is now vaccinated; but Chaffee emphasizes the importance of increasing research and health training to help autistic individuals who may have challenges identifying and expressing pain.
While everyone has faced much adversity this past year, autistic individuals and their families have shown their resilience and inspired us to keep pressing on.
-Emma
Image retrieved from https://ak.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/1926718/thumb/1.jpg
