Autistic children with sensory processing differences successfully navigate and engage in meaningful family daily occupations within home and community environments through the support of their family. To date however, much of the research on autistic children with sensory processing differences, has primarily been deficit focused, while much of the caregiver research has focused on issues of distress, burden, effort, and emotional trauma in coping with their child's diagnosis. This study aimed to conduct a qualitative evidence synthesis, using a meta-ethnographic approach to explore the gap identified in understanding successful occupational experiences of family participation and daily family routines when supporting an autistic child with sensory processing differences and to offer an alternative strengths-based perspective. Inclusion criteria were studies which were peer-reviewed qualitative design, published from 2000 to 2021, and that concerned parents/caregivers' perspectives of family occupations of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Studies were electronically searched in eight databases from October to December 2021 and 23 studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria. Noblit and Hare's seven step approach for conducting analysis in meta-ethnography was used, and three themes identified: (1) sensory processing differences in daily life, (2) what is hard about hard, and (3) orchestrating family life. Results identified the centrality of sensory experiences in understanding family life. Living with unpredictability while orchestrating certainty through routines was core to successful participation. This review provides insights into how parents negotiate the complexities of constructing family life when living with an autistic child. The results can inform the design of future interventions that specifically address the relationship between meaningful participation in family occupations and daily routines and sensory processing in autistic children. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022298938, identifier CRD42022298938.

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Family life and autistic children with sensory processing differences: A qualitative evidence synthesis of occupational participation

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in socialization. The amount of scientific research results on motherhood related to ASD has grown exponentially; however, there are no bibliometric studies in this field. Objective: This article aimed to analyze scientific research on motherhood related to the autism spectrum published in WoS. Articles on motherhood related to ASD were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS). The advanced search interface used was “Title of the article, Abstract, Keywords”. The analysis and visualization of the selected documents and their data were performed using a wide range of tools and software such as MS Excel (v16.0), VOS viewer (version 1.6.15), and R packages (Biblioshiny, version 2.0). A total of 1660 articles were included in this study. Most of the publications were original articles. The United States published the most significant number of articles among the countries identified. P.R. Hastings, M.M. Seltzer, and J. Van de Water were the main authors. The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders was the most productive and impactful journal. The main research topics were related to mental health and social support in the role of motherhood. This desk study provides researchers with a comprehensive understanding of ASD-related maternity research trends by evaluating relevant publications in recent decades. The results of this bibliometric analysis can serve as a basis and orientation for new studies.

https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/13/2/36/pdf?version=1676542274

Trends in Autism Spectrum-Related Motherhood Research: A Bibliometric Study

Feeding interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) focus solely on the child, not the family milieu. This qualitative study aimed to understand mothers' perspectives on managing restricted eating among preschoolers with ASD. Focus groups were conducted with eleven mothers of preschoolers with ASD. Audio recordings were transcribed, and data analyzed for themes. Mothers experienced stressors balancing priorities of adequate nutrition with family mealtime demands and found solutions in support from other mothers, strategies from a wide array of sources, and resorting to trial and error to improve eating. Healthcare practitioners should explore and consider family stressors, competing demands, and coping skills when recommending mealtime interventions for optimal child and family well-being.

Marissa-Li Haggard

Papers

Restricted Eating in Preschoolers with Autism: Mother Stressors and Solutions.