Mumbai fights autism

MUMBAI: In India, autism has a single storyline: parent, parent, parent. And, it’ll stay that way until India has an adequate number of specialists and facilities to help families fight the disorder.

It took a little over two years for Sharmila Talreja to realise something was amiss with her daughter Priyanka, now 13. “She was withdrawn and showed little interest in interacting with others,” says Talreja.

“Initially, we thought it was just a phase. When she crawled on her toes, instead of on her knees, we laughed it off.” But at two years and three months, Priyanka would indulge in repetitive actions.

When her playschool teacher informed Talreja that her daughter was “unusually hyperactive”, she realised the behaviour was, in fact, odd for a two-year-old.

Later, a neurologist diagnosed Priyanka with autism — a complex neuro-developmental disorder that affects normal functioning of the brain. It affects the ability to communicate, respond to surroundings, form and develop social relationships, and is marked by repetitive behaviour.

For decades, autism was considered a relatively uncommon disease, but a 2007 study by the US-based Center for Disease Control now says cases of autism and autistic-related disorders, such as Asperger’s Syndrome (repetitive behavior patterns and impairment in social interaction), have increased from one in 100,000 to one in 150 children within a couple of decades.  

In the UK, the National Autistic Society estimates a prevalence rate of around one in 100 children.

The situation in India is no less alarming. “There are about 4 million autistic people in India today,” says Merry Barua, founder-director of the Delhi-based Action for Autism.

Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy, director of the Mumbai-based Ummeed, which works with children with developmental disabilities, has also noticed a rise in autistic cases in Mumbai. “Five years ago, I would treat about three cases a week. Today, it’s increased to five. We think India’s four million cases is a small figure since autism is highly underreported here.”

Dr Leo Rebello, director of the Mumbai-based Natural Health Centre, believes we are looking at the tip of the iceberg. In a research paper, he says autism cases have risen dramatically.

“They were 17.40 lakhs in 2005, 40 lakhs in 2006, and today, the autism-affected population in India would be close to a crore.”

Others doctors too see a sharp rise. Dr Anjali Joshi, an occupational therapist at KEM Hospital, says autism cases have jumped in the last two decades.

“I would hardly see one autistic child in six months those days; now, I treat at least two kids per week.”  Points out Dr Anahita Hegde, a neurologist at Jaslok Hospital:  “I would see one-two cases a month 10 years ago; today I see 20 fresh cases a month.

Autism has so often been confused as childhood depression, delayed speech development, and behavioural problems. That could lead to delayed and incorrect treatment.”

Dr Madhuri Kulkarni, head of department, paediatrics, Sion Hospital, agrees the increase in cases is evident. “But today we know more about autism and, therefore, are able to spot it more than ever before.”

But just what causes autism? Says Barua: “I am sure consumption of processed foods and chemically-treated fruits and vegetables may act as a trigger.” 

Adds Dr Rebello: “Abuse of antibiotics; heavy metal toxicity; vaccines that contain mercury; and unnatural foods in early childhood, like canned babyfood and milk powders, which lead to cadmium and arsenic poisoning, are the root causes.”

Dr Krishnamurthy, however, thinks awareness has certainly had a part to play. “Parental awareness, early intervention, and better diagnostic processes have been largely responsible for the rise in cases.”