India Needs a National Programme to Address Autism, Says Experts
India needs a national programme on autism to address the challenges faced by children with autism and their families. This call comes after researchers found that none of the children who met the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum in their study had a prior clinical diagnosis.
The researchers, led by an Indian researcher working on autism, faced the challenge of estimating the prevalence of autism in India as there was no central medical registry. They initially tried to estimate autism prevalence by calling government hospitals in India to ask for available records of children diagnosed with autism. However, none of the hospitals kept such records. They then turned to schools, where they translated and validated widely used autism assessment tools and used these to estimate the prevalence of autism in nearly 12,000 schoolchildren.
Their study found that none of the children who met the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum had a prior clinical diagnosis, indicating a lack of awareness and diagnosis of autism in India. All of these children were in mainstream schools and reported facing more challenges than their counterparts.
Since this initial study, there have been a few other prevalence estimates, and a conservative estimate based on pooling the results from different studies suggests that well over one crore Indians are on the autism spectrum. However, despite the increasing recognition of the prevalence of autism in India, there is still a lack of awareness, diagnosis, and support for children with autism and their families.
This is why experts are calling for a national programme on autism in India. Such a programme would aim to raise awareness and understanding of autism, improve diagnosis and assessment of autism, and provide support and services for children with autism and their families. It would also promote research on autism in India to better understand the causes and nature of the condition, and to develop effective interventions and treatments.
The need for a national programme on autism is urgent, as the challenges faced by children with autism and their families in India are significant. These challenges include a lack of understanding and acceptance of autism in Indian society, limited access to diagnosis and assessment services, and a shortage of trained professionals and support services for children with autism and their families.
A national programme on autism would address these challenges by promoting awareness and understanding of autism in India, improving access to diagnosis and assessment services, and increasing the availability of support and services for children with autism and their families. It would also help to build a community of researchers, clinicians, and advocates dedicated to improving the lives of children with autism in India.
In conclusion, the prevalence of autism in India is high, yet there is a lack of awareness, diagnosis, and support for children with autism and their families. This is why India needs a national programme on autism to address these challenges and to promote a better understanding and acceptance of autism in Indian society. Such a programme would improve the lives of children with autism and their families and help to build a brighter future for all.
