Autist children’s mother’s narratives on care possibilities and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic

This article aims to discuss the care experiences of mothers of autistic children during the Covid-19 pandemic. This qualitative exploratory research interviewed 12 mothers of autistic children who attended a CAPSi in 2021. From the analysis of the narratives, categories were built to highlight the experience of the pandemic, the role played by the CAPSi, and the presence or absence of partnerships and institutional resources in daily dealings. As a result, we identified experiences marked by psychosocial suffering, exclusion, and overload, with mothers taking on multiple care demands and feeling insufficient and isolated; the CAPSi as a welcoming and permanent space for mothers and children, representing a source of trust and continuity in an adverse scenario; the absence of other actors and institutions that could set up support networks, except for online mutual help groups. It is concluded that the mothers' experiences were marked by the distinction of gender in care tasks and by the atypia of their children, accentuating the already-known loneliness and overload. In this context of scarcity, the CAPSi stood out as a reference in the territory, being a space of care and reception for mothers and autistic children.

Keywords:
Autism; Covid-19; CAPSi