Caring For Children And Teens With Special Needs During A Global Pandemic

WAMU 88.5 | By Emmanuel Johnson

Published April 13, 2020 at 3:34 PM CDT

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Mexican Angel Arteaga has autism. Here, he holds hands with his mother Leonor (R) as they walk back to their car after going out from a store during the COVID-19 outbreak in Tijuana. Angel's daily routine was affected by the quarantine he and his family have kept.

With schools temporarily closed and many adults recently unemployed or working from home, parents with school-age children have been thrust into a new reality.

Many parents have found the transition to be stressful, but parents of children with special needs have faced a particular set of challenges.

Students with autism, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and emotional disturbances each accounted for between 5 and 10 percent of students in the school system.

Now that the dedicated team of teachers and behavioral therapist that many families depend on are no longer available, parents are having to get creative at home to ensure their children stay on track.

We talk about the issues facing these families during the COVID-19 pandemic.