Things You Should Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine and Autism

With increasing cases of COVID-19 across the globe, the effects of the pandemic on people with special needs continue to metastasize.

In an interview with Everyday Health, Christopher Banks, the president of Autism Society of America, shared, “We’ve seen service interruptions, failure of the education system to provide services, isolation, and we've even seen higher death rates.” He also stated that the impacts of COVID-19 on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been devastating on their communities.

Now more than ever, experts are pushing the vaccine in an attempt to slow the numbers. In a study published in NEJM Catalyst: Innovations in Care Delivery in early 2021, patient records with COVID-19 were examined. They determined that aside from age, having an intellectual or developmental disability was the strongest independent risk factor in death caused by COVID-19. It also stated that people with intellectual or developmental disabilities are also three times more likely than those without to contract a fatal case of COVID-19. This could be because people with these disabilities are more likely to live in groups, or the idea of wearing a mask or social distancing may be uncomfortable or nearly impossible for some people with these disabilities. In the conclusion of the study, the researchers wrote, “Patients with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers should be prioritized for vaccination and health care services.”

There are three types of vaccines that are available to children and adults with or without autism spectrum disorder: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Both Pfizer and Moderna require two doses to be effective; however, Pfizer is available to anyone over the age of 12, while Moderna is only available to people over the age of 18. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single dose for anyone above the age of 18.

The CDC states that the COVID-19 vaccines are just as effective and safe for people with autism spectrum disorder as they are for people without it. They also highly recommended the vaccine to anyone old enough with an intellectual or developmental disability in order to significantly decrease the chance of mortality in case they were to contract COVID-19. In addition to this, they have stated that the vaccine is in no way linked to a greater risk of developing autism spectrum disorder.

If you have a child or loved one with autism whom you believe may have a negative reaction to receiving the vaccine, preparation is key. They may not understand why they must get a vaccine, but it is important for them to know that it is for their health and wellbeing and to keep them safe. Because they have already experienced so many changes to their normal routines in the past year and a half, they may have a negative view of the vaccine because it would cause yet another disruption to their routine. In this case, an in depth explanation and preview of what the vaccine does and what will happen when they get the vaccine is useful in preventing or avoiding a strong avoidant reaction.

One useful step to take is to research the vaccine clinics in your area. Some organizations have temporarily opened sensory-friendly vaccine clinics to cater to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, so if your loved one with autism has a hard time in crowds or unusual places, this may be the way to go.

COVID-19 will continue to spread without proper mask-wearing, social distancing, or vaccinations. It is important for people with autism spectrum disorder to understand their risk of contracting COVID-19 and why they may need to be vaccinated.