A case report of a child with autism spectrum disorder grieving after losing her father during covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: Bereavement is one of the least studied conditions in children, especially among the ones diagnosed with ASD. Lack of enough understanding about what to expect from a grieving child with ASD complicates how to help them and their caregivers. Case presentation: In this paper, we present a 13-year-old girl with ASD who lost his dad recently due to myocardial infarction during COVID-19 pandemic period while lockdown was implemented, and how that girl reacted to this adverse event. Informed consent is obtained from the mother. Conclusion: Grief of a child with ASD may be dissimilar to what is used to seen in other grieving people. However, similar to all bereaving individuals, psychoeducation and counselling should be prioritized for both the grieving children with ASD and their caregivers. Keywords: ASD; autism; bereavement; COVID; grief; psychoeducation.