Appreciation of speech and language interventions in communication of children on the autism Spectrum disorders offered remotely and in person

• Grant number: 21/10044-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2022
• End date: December 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Fernanda Dreux Miranda Fernandes
• Grantee: Camila Pimentel Piemonte
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

For more than a year, the world has been facing a pandemic caused by the new Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). In order to reduce the rate of contagion by the virus, many countries, including Brazil, have taken drastic measures, like isolation or physical distance. This measure caused an abrupt interruption in the continuity of non-drug therapies, a fundamental part of the care of people on the autism spectrum. In order to minimize the damage caused by the interruption of treatment, interventions were quickly adapted for remote delivery, using digital tools. However, there is still no consistent information on the efficiency of this type of intervention offer, compared to the face-to-face form. The target of this study is to compare the effects obtained by a remote speech therapy intervention program with a similar program offered in person, before the pandemic, on communication and language in children with an autism spectrum disorder. This is a longitudinal, retrospective study based on the comparative analysis of the Functional Profile of Communication-Checklist collected in speech therapy interventions carried out in person between 2017 and February 2020 in videos, with the record of the sequel of these interventions remotely, performed from March 2020. The information collected from these videos will be used to build the Functional Communication Profile Checklist, adopted as the primary outcome of this study. (AU)