QUALITY OF EDUCATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF CHILDREN WITH SENSORY INTEGRATION DISORDERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Professional Paper
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of families of children with special support needs in many ways. This research aims to present the relationship between the quality of education and the quality of life of children with sensory integration disorders, with a particular focus on the quality of life of their family members during the COVID-19 pandemic. The literature review was conducted using Google Scholar Advanced Search and the Consortium of Serbian Libraries for Unified Procurement - KoBSON. The results of this study show that closing schools was a trigger for remission not only in terms of cognitive and speech/language development but also that these children experienced remission in the motor domain of development due to the lack of physical activity. Also, these results show that these children suffered a lot of damage in terms of socialization due to being forced into social isolation. Parents pointed out that distance education has negatively affected family functionality, that there has been a lack of school support, that communication with teachers has been limited, and that reliance on parents during distance learning has led to high levels of stress, anxiety, and conflict in the family. Research also shows that the parents of these children made extra efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to help themselves overcome the challenges of this emergency. They tried reading different blogs and websites in order to get information and advice about their child’s disability. This study showed the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of children with sensory integration disorders and their family members who took complete control in the absence of support services. While there were opportunities to continue education at home through digital content, it was not enough to meet the needs or provide the care these children and families deserve.
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