It's hard to imagine that the world has been living with
COVID-19 for two years. For many people, it has caused an increase in
feelings of isolation and stress. The growing prevalence of our
nation's mental health issues is of increasing concern. As the
situation continues to change, it's more important than ever to
stay informed, connected and resilient.

In this issue of E-Speaks, you can access our COVID-19 resources and
read the personal stories of two community members who have coped with
the pandemic in their own way. Ryan, age 20, has experienced loss and
grief, but came out stronger and more hopeful than ever. Leslie, age
4, and her family navigated a new diagnosis and early intervention
during the pandemic-but now she is thriving!

You will also learn about the current mental health crisis among
youth in the U.S., the impact of school closures on autistic children
and how the Autism Care Network can help people with autism navigate
mental health challenges.

Many people don't see autism's most difficult challenges

Meet my son, Owen: "Day 614 since March 2020 picking my sweet Owen up from his residence and bringing him home where I knew he'd be safe from COVID. It's been amazing & the hardest thing by far that myself & our family has ever done. There's been many incredible moments & I feel so lucky to have been able to have had all those good times with him. But the reality is he needs so much support 24/7 and his issues magnified over this year. Many autism families know exactly what I'm talking about." - Owen's mom, Susan: [link removed]


Families can find resources on how to handle school closures, tips for getting
the COVID-19 vaccine, caregiver trainings and more. Autistic adults
can find resources for navigating employment changes, coping with
stress and managing good mental health. Educators and health
professionals can find resources to help make vaccines and telehealth visits more
inclusive for people with autism, provide guidance for educators and
more: [link removed]


New study shows negative effect of COVID-19 school closures on
autistic children

Many families across the country are coping with uncertainty and
changes in routine caused by emergency school closures. While school
shutdowns may be necessary to slow the spread of the virus, a new
study shows that they have serious consequences for autistic children.
In fact, parents of children with autism were more than three times as
likely to report negative changes in their child compared to parents
of non-autistic children. Read more about the study results: [link removed]

U.S. Surgeon General issues advisory on youth mental health
crisis

This December, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an
advisory to highlight the growing mental health crisis among youth in
the U.S. Even before the pandemic, mental health challenges were the
leading cause of disability and poor health outcomes among
children-and the stress of COVID-19 has increased the negative
impact. In the face of this crisis, the Autism Speaks Autism Care
Network is committed to improving mental health outcomes for autistic youth
across the country. Click here to learn more: [link removed]

The Autism Care Network works to improve mental health among autistic
youth

Research shows that people with autism are more likely to have other
mental health conditions that affect their overall health and
wellbeing. In this Q&A, Dr. Eric M. Butter shares how the Autism
Care Network is working to improve diagnosis and treatment for three
common conditions among autistic youth: ADHD, anxiety and
irritability. Read more about the Network: [link removed]

Stay up to date with our COVID-19 resources 

As the Omnicron variant continues to spread across the country, it's more important than ever to get vaccinated. Our new Vaccine Experience Tool Kit, published in English and Spanish, offers advice and resources to make the vaccine experience less challenging for people with autism and other developmental disorders. Click here to view our additional COVID-19 information and resources: [link removed]

Shop the Autism Speaks eStore: [link removed]



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