Effects of Covid-19 pandemic on nutritional habits, lifestyle changes and dental trauma frequency of children with autism: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted daily routines and lifestyle habits, affecting the psychological well-being and dietary habits of individuals, especially children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to evaluate the susceptibility of children with ASD to changes in nutritional habits, lifestyle, and dental trauma during the pandemic related with oral health and compare them with healthy children.

Methods: This study, conducted at Istanbul University, involves children aged 3-14 diagnosed with ASD at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and healthy children who visited the Department of Pedodontics.