World Autism Awareness Day April 2: Early intervention is important for autistic children, families and society

Doctor examines a child with suspected signs of autism at Dong Nai Children's Hospital.

On December 18, 2007, the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a special resolution to designate April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day, with the aim of calling on the community to increase attention and understanding of this syndrome, thereby promoting research to find new methods to improve the health and integration of people with autism. At the same time, helping people with autism to be detected early, treated and improve the quality of life for them and their families.

In recent years, domestic and foreign medical literature has recorded a significant increase in the rate of autistic children. According to a study in March 2022 by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 1 in 100 children worldwide have autism. In Vietnam, according to a 2018 study by the University of Public Health conducted in 7 localities representing regions of Vietnam, the rate of autistic children aged 18-30 months is 0.75%; boys have a rate of about 4-6 times higher than girls and autism can occur in all social, cultural and ethnic groups.

Currently, there is no specific scientific evidence about the cause of autism. The main factor in the pathogenesis that many researchers agree is polygenic abnormalities. In addition, environmental factors have also been proven to be related, including abnormalities during pregnancy and childbirth, nutritional status, drug use, weight and living environment of the mother, infectious diseases...

Autism is characterized by impairments in language, communication and social interaction (such as children being slow to speak, speaking in monotonous sounds, lacking intonation, imitating others, mumbling to themselves, making little eye contact, not looking directly at the person opposite or looking absent-mindedly, not distinguishing between strangers and acquaintances...) accompanied by related health problems such as epilepsy, depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, self-injury, irritability, impulsive anger...).

The level of intellectual functioning in children with autism varies widely, from severely impaired to highly impaired, with an estimated 50% of children with autism having intellectual disability.

Although autism causes serious impacts on children's functional activities and quality of life, if detected and intervened early with support from family and community, autistic children will be able to develop personal values ​​and integrate into the community.

Early intervention is important for children, families and society.

Early intervention is targeted, planned, methodical and individualized interventions for children under 6 years of age, ideally before 3 years of age, for all children at risk or diagnosed with autism. These interventions are intentional, planned, methodical and individualized by professionals.

Intervention begins as early as possible, possibly as soon as a child is identified as having difficulty or delay, without waiting for a definitive diagnosis from a specialist.

Early intervention is important not only for children but also for families and society.

For children: Intervention, especially early intervention, can reduce the severity of impairments and help children gain the developmental skills they need to lead as independent and fulfilling a life as possible. Evidence from research shows that early intervention improves treatment outcomes and increases the quality of life for children and their families later in life. Early intervention for children with autism is considered a smart investment because it not only brings progress to children but also reduces the very expensive costs of supporting and managing children with autism later on. In contrast to early intervention, later intervention is associated with increased severity of autism symptoms. However, it is important to note that intervention at any age is beneficial for children and their families. Children should receive intervention activities as soon as possible after diagnosis.

For families: A child being diagnosed with autism is not easy for many families to accept. By actively participating in intervention activities, parents and other family members will understand autism and intervention and support skills. This helps families understand their children, reduce stress and difficulties when there is an autistic person in the family, build better relationships, and improve the quality of life for the whole family.

For society: Thanks to intervention, autistic children have a more independent life, can have a job and have better mental health, thereby making useful contributions to social development, reducing the social burden of autism.

Correct understanding of autism, early detection and timely intervention will help children not miss the "golden period" considered the intervention period when children are under 3 years old, while limiting stigma and pressure on children and families, thereby helping to improve the quality of life for children and families, contributing to the development of society.

According to VTV

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ngay-the-gioi-nhan-thuc-ve-tu-ky-2-4-can-thiep-som-co-vai-tro-quan-trong-cho-ca-tre-tu-ky-gia-dinh-va-xa-hoi-244277.htm