Autism: A global challenge
Autism is a lifelong developmental disorder, a neurological condition that generally occurs in the first three years of life. Autism is usually marked by differences in development in three major areas: verbal and non-verbal communication, social interaction and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviour or activities. Autism is also known as a ‘spectrum disorder’ as the severity or extent of symptoms may vary from a mild learning and social disability, to multiple difficulties and often very strange behaviour. The condition also leads to qualitative impairments and uneven skill development. Autism usually results from a combination of several factors including genetic and environmental influences. Today, with the rapid advancement in medical field and technology, in-depth research is being carried out to find out the causes responsible for ASD.
What the numbers say…
Autism is the third most common developmental disorder in the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1 in 68 children (1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls) in the United States has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is the fastest growing developmental disability in USA. In India, it is estimated that there are over 18 million people with autism.
A shadow that lurks in the dark…
You can never tell a person has autism merely by the way they look or appear and this makes it all the more difficult while dealing with autism-affected individuals. There is a lack of general awareness regarding autism, and what it really means to live with a person affected with this condition. Due to this, people often think that a child has a mental disorder, is spoilt, or lacks discipline. Evidence-based therapy programs can bring an autistic child’s development trajectory as close to normal as possible. The earlier this intervention, the better the outcome for the child, family, and more importantly the community.
Autism: The India perspective
Statistics reveal that the number of children in India diagnosed with autism are on the rise; it is estimated that 1 to 1.5% of children between the ages two and nine in India are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Around 10 per cent of school-going children have been diagnosed with mild to severe learning challenges. Unfortunately, due to lack of basic facilities, general lack of awareness and improper diagnosis, there has been a staggering increase in the number of autism cases in the country. One of the reasons for the delay in the diagnosis is that the condition is misinterpreted as mental retardation or schizophrenia. Effective policy-making and early intervention will go a long way in addressing the needs of autistic children and bringing them back into mainstream society.