Hyderabad: Better diagnostic techniques and targeted screening of eight-year-olds has shown an increase in autism with 1 in 59 children now being autistic from the bar of 1 in 68 children.
This means that there are more and more children being diagnosed with a spectrum of autistic disorders which can be mild and severe in nature. The Centre for Disease Control has reduced the bar after evaluating the data from multiple hospitals.
Dr. PragyaRashmi, senior psychologist explained, “Autism is a spectrum of disorders. It can be mild where the child is very intelligent but has problems socialising. It’s a disorder where the child will communicate, learn and behave not in the mainstream way as expected. That is where the clash is and that is where the parents and schools have to accept them.”
The new results show that early screening helps the child move in the right direction rather than being lost. Experts state that according to statistics, five years ago, only 46 percent of those who were screened were properly attended. This screening has now increased to 56 percent and there is proper evaluation being carried out.
Therapy and medicines if required are prescribed. But the underlying fear in parents is prominent. Paediatrician Dr. Rakesh Gupta explained, “Parents are hesitant when it comes to screening as they fear that there will be some problem that they will encounter.
Hence the best way is to opt for mass programs in school and those who are found to have a spectrum of these disorders to be evaluated. Presently, parents are coming forward to clinics only if there are too many complaints or it is becoming difficult for them to handle. Proactive screening is still a far cry as many of them are hesitant.”
