Article
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Alterations in Healthy Behaviors in Arab Israeli ASD Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Version 1
: Received: 3 November 2023 / Approved: 6 November 2023 / Online: 6 November 2023 (08:06:27 CET)
How to cite: Ghanamah, R. Alterations in Healthy Behaviors in Arab Israeli ASD Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Preprints 2023, 2023110282. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.0282.v1 Ghanamah, R. Alterations in Healthy Behaviors in Arab Israeli ASD Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Preprints 2023, 2023110282. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.0282.v1
Abstract
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic limitations may negatively affect children and youth in terms of health behaviors, and it might be especially challenging for children who are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders such as children and youth diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The present study assessed alterations in physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration of ASD children and the prevalence of meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines during the COVID-19 outbreak. Forty-six Arab Israeli mothers of children with ASD were surveyed by an online cross-sectional survey. As reported by the mothers, the results show a significant decrease in physical activity, a significant increase in screen time, and a significant increase in sleep duration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the proportion of the sample who gained the physical activity and screen time recommendations lessened while the percentage of children who met the sleep duration guidelines increased. The prevalence of ASD children who achieved the overall 24-hour movement guidelines was very small during the COVID-19 outbreak. The outcomes extend the body of knowledge regarding the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and highlight the need for instant healthcare and interventions and programs for children with ASD.
Keywords
ASD; coronavirus; physical activity; screen time; sleep duration; healthcare
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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