In a center for young autistic people in Paris, deconfinement in small steps - France 24

Paris (AFP)

"I'm tired of telephone meetings": like many of his autistic comrades cared for at the Santos Dumont day hospital in Paris, Antoine, 26, was impatiently awaiting deconfinement. But with a welcome guaranteed one day in five, and the wearing of a systematic mask, the return to life before is only gradual.

In this small structure that usually welcomes 25 young people from 14 to 27 years old, every day from Monday to Friday, the necessary respect for barrier gestures does not allow the return of all patients at the same time, explains his head of service, the psychiatrist Loriane Bellahsen.

For two months, most of the young people remained confined to their families, and the link - with the multidisciplinary team and between patients - had to be maintained via telephone meetings, but also home visits by psychiatrists and other educators, sometimes duly equipped with masks, charlottes and other overshoes.

Only two patients continued to come to the hospital every day, as they sometimes have "anxiety attacks at home which can result in gestures dangerous for themselves or those around them," said the psychiatrist.

Today, at the time of deconfinement, "all the patients or their families wish to return almost full time, but it is not possible", deplores Dr. Bellahsen, who "does not have much room for maneuver ".

To respect social distancing, a rotation has been established. Only 5 out of 25 patients spend the day at the center, one day in five on average. A precaution all the more necessary as many of these young people are "very tactile", and "for some it is extremely difficult that one cannot be touched", explains the psychiatrist.

In a few weeks, "if there is no second epidemic wave and if patients manage not to touch each other, we may be able to accommodate more simultaneously," she hopes.

- Need benchmarks -

The wearing of masks in particular can be a problem for certain young autistic people, explains the head of service, citing the case of a young girl "who cannot bear to see us with a mask, it scares her very much".

For Alain Foujanet, special education teacher, "most young people can no longer be confined to their homes, not to have any more activities".

"They need benchmarks, a schedule. Without that, for them it is very complicated", adds this professional, also art therapist, who organizes painting workshops adapted to progressive deconfinement: some participants take part in it physically, on site, and others from home, by videoconference.

The newsgroup on Thursday is also now "mixed", with some joining by phone.

With their sometimes confusing words, participants take news from each other, tell their activities in detail, or comment on current events.

Antoine thus seems happy to be able to announce to his comrades that, according to the Prime Minister, the French will be able to go on vacation this summer. And willingly repeats that "containment, I couldn't take it anymore".

For her mother, Cécile, "fortunately there were regular telephone meetings, and meetings with professionals, who do a great job". She says she found it "a bit complicated at first" to have to live with her son seven days a week, because "I hadn't been used to it for years".

From May 11, the date of the deconfinement, "of course I would have preferred that he could return five days a week" to the day hospital, "but I expected very little, if anything at all, so I am not disappointed, "she adds.

Antoine, for his part, was looking forward to his first day at Santos Dumont after confinement, but came back "a little sad", because he only found a small number of his comrades there, explains his mother.

Pierre, 17, seems to have found the beginning of an explanation for this unpleasant situation: "It is the fault of the Chinese scientists of the Wuhan school, they do not like kisses", he understands.

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