INJURY PREVENTION SKILLS IN CHILDREN AGED 5–6 WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER IN SPECIAL EDUCATION SETTINGS

Abstract

Children aged 5–6 years with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face substantial challenges in cognition, language, social interaction, executive functioning, and behavior, which heighten their vulnerability to unintentional injuries such as falls, burns, poisoning, drowning, and traffic accidents. This study investigated the current status of injury prevention skills among 32 children with ASD+ADHD, along with input from 32 parents and 60 teachers in special education settings in Hanoi. Findings revealed marked deficiencies in recognizing hazardous situations, limited knowledge of safety rules, and inadequate coping strategies in both simulated and real-life contexts. These results underscore the urgent need for targeted educational interventions, with clear guidelines for teachers and parents to collaboratively foster effective injury prevention skills in this population.