Experts say autism cases are increasing, but ignorance among parents, docs hampering treatment
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recently stated that one in 68 children is autistic and the number of children identified with autism is growing. But the statistics may not tell the whole story as there is a lack of awareness among people, including paediatricians, that results in under-reporting of these cases.
"There is awareness about autism, but little awareness on intervention. We also don't have a registry for autism like that set up abroad," said Dr Samir Dalwai, developmental paediatrician, LTMG hospital in Sion.
April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, when organisations around the world mark the day with various events.
Experts believe that the prevalence of autism in India is similar to that in the United States. "We need to follow three crucial steps to ensure that more autistic children get help. The first is to follow the child's speech and language milestone. Second, is early intervention through a multidisciplinary approach. Third, is to document the observations," Dr Dalwai said.
The doctor also underlined the importance for parents to crosscheck details about the doctor to whom they are entrusting the treatment of their child.
'Autism spectrum disorder' (ASD) is the term used to describe children with neuro-developmental disorders that impair social skills.
Autism is called a spectrum disorder because no two children are similar. If one child has a high intelligence quotient (IQ) and low social skills, another may have a low IQ and severe sensitivity to touch.
On Thursday, CDC published figures from its surveillance report that found 30 per cent higher incidence over 2012 estimates which identified one in 88 children affected by ASD. The report is titled "Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder among Children Aged 8 Years - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2010."
Kamini Lakhani, director, SAI Child Development Centre, Khar, said, "We need more interaction between the parents and health experts. Many parents are still hesitant to accept that their child is autistic."
She explained that awareness among paediatricians would help to have a proper assessment of the child before certifying him/her as autistic.
Health experts are pushing for more centres to treat autistic children so all the services are available under one roof. The lack of expertise in this field leads parents to hop from one specialist to another, paying hefty fees.
"We have a disorganised infrastructure to handle autism. There are many people working for the cause, but these are individual efforts. We need to come together to let the child get the most. An autistic child requires multidisciplinary treatment, including speech therapy and counseling, at the same time," said Dr Dalwai.
Middle class families can't afford such treatment. So after taking the treatment for some they give up.
The CDC study revealed that autism is five times more common among boys than girls – 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls.
The study found that nearly half the children identified with ASD have an average or above average intellectual ability (IQ above 85) compared to a third of the children surveyed a decade ago.
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