Helping Children Meet Their Full Potential Faster
Covid-19 pandemic has struck us like a tsunami, and we are all reeling from its devastating effects. As the world marches towards vaccination drives amidst mutations in the virus, it is people with developmental or/and intellectual disabilities who have been severely affected by the sweep of coronavirus. People on the spectrum may be at higher risk from COVID-19 for the following reasons:
Sensitivity to wearing masks for long periods of time
Challenges with physical distancing and isolation
Difficulty expressing themselves if they experiencing the same distress COVID-19 has inflected on neurotypical peers and family members.
Following general safety measures
Suffering from co-morbidities and immune sensitivities.
Now for the good news! As of now, 3 vaccines have been approved in the USA by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under emergency use authorization. They are all safe and effective against infection and disease from the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, as per the CDC. 2 of these vaccines are based on the mRNA technology that instructs immune cells to make a portion of protein that will activate an immune system response if you have contracted the virus. These 2 vaccines are:
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine approved for persons above the age of 12 and is administered 3 weeks apart (2 jabs).
Moderna vaccine approved for persons above the age of 12 and is administered 4 weeks apart (2 jabs).
Both are very effective in preventing symptomatic infection by this virus. It takes 2 weeks after the second shot/jab to be considered as fully immunized.
The 3rd vaccine approved is the third vaccine is Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, a one-jab option. It takes 2 weeks after the sole jab for a person to be considered as fully immunized.
All the vaccines available are safe for people with ASD. People who should not go for the mRNA vaccines are those who have a history of severe allergic reactions (serious enough to require hospitalization or to be treated with epinephrine or EpiPen) to an ingredient such as polyethylene glycol, in the vaccine. For people who have had severe reactions to the first shot should not go for further vaccination. These suggestions also apply for J&J vaccine which contains polysorbate. So, for those allergic to it or any other ingredient it, it's best not to get vaccinated at all.
These vaccines do not infect anyone with the virus that causes COVID-19, change the DNA, affect fertility, or alter the DNA of a child born to a mother who has been inoculated. Note - there are rare cases of people experiencing severe reactions as a result of any of the approved vaccines being administered.
As family members/caregivers of a person on the spectrum, prepping the person in advance is the best way to ensure minimal disruption while taking them to receive their vaccination. As the centers for vaccinations might be unusual (such as stadiums or drive-through), it's always best to communicate the entire process and take the help of audio-visual aids to make it easier to understand. The Autism Society of America has put out visual explainers on their website that can be understood by people with ASD. You may download them for use to get your loved one ready for their turn at being vaccinated.
