The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak: Physical inactivity and children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which has turned into a global outbreak (pandemic), has inevitably affected the lives and habits of individuals with special needs, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and their families. During the COVID-19 emergency, children with ASD found themselves to face the risks connected to the physical inactivity due to prolonged stay-at-home periods, the forced closure of training centers and, often, unsuitable online learning environments. Although this is a new issue, no research has yet examined the effects of physical inactivity on children with ASD during the COVID-19 outbreak Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to examine the effects of physical inactivity on children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic from a parental perspective. One-to-one semi-structured phone interviews were conducted on parents of children with ASD (N = 12) and then analyzed using thematic analysis. Parents' opinions revealed that physical inactivity during the COVID-19 outbreak increased their children's sedentary behavior, excessive feeding habits and behavioral problems, thus leading to a decrease in their motor skills. Findings suggested that parents were unprepared about the appropriate physical activity program to be proposed during the forced COVID-19 quarantine.