Nepean Hospital study finds COVID-19 lockdowns added to health challenges for children with developmental disabilities
A new study led by Nepean Hospital clinicians has found that children living with developmental disabilities faced increased challenges during the COVID-19 lockdowns, despite an overall drop in hospital admissions for children across the board.
Published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, the study looked at hospital data over a six-year period and showed that while fewer children overall presented to hospital during the lockdown, those with conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cerebral Palsy (CP), or Intellectual Disability (ID) were still coming in with complex issues—and often staying longer.
Clinical Associate Professor Dr Habib Bhurawala, Head of Paediatrics at Nepean Hospital and co-lead author of the study, said the results highlight ongoing inequities for a vulnerable group of children.
“These children already face barriers to healthcare, and the lockdown period seemed to add to those challenges,” said Dr Bhurawala. “We found that their hospital stays were about 50% longer on average, which likely reflects the added difficulty they and their families experienced in accessing regular care.”
Fellow study lead, Dr Anthony Liu, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Paediatrics at The University of Sydney and Paediatrician at Nepean Hospital, said the data also showed that these longer stays weren’t due to COVID-19 infection itself.
“Most children were admitted with chronic conditions like seizures, asthma and respiratory infections—the same issues we see year-round,” said Dr Liu. “None of the patients in this group had COVID-19 at the time, but their health needs clearly continued and in some cases worsened during the lockdown.”
The study also found that around one in five children admitted during lockdown had more than two major health issues. Dr Liu says this highlights the importance of consistent, community-based care, especially when usual services are disrupted.
“These findings show the need to better support families of children with developmental disabilities during public health emergencies,” he said.
A/Prof Dr Bhurawala added that the work reflects Nepean Hospital’s commitment to addressing health inequity through research that can shape better care.
“Through this study, we hope to inform policies that ensure no child misses out on essential healthcare during a crisis,” he said.
The study, Impact of COVID-19 on Hospital Admissions for Children With Developmental Disadvantages: A Western Sydney Metropolitan Hospital Experience on Health Inequity, is available in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health.