If autism is suspected, parents should first contact their pediatrician. If the suspicions are confirmed, the parents of the child, NI Pirogova of the MV Russian Ministry of Health at the Russian National Research Medical University, principal investigator of the Research Institute of Pediatrics and Child Health, pediatrician Tatyana Turti.
“It’s important to note that the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can only be made after screening and self-examination by a psychiatrist,” Turti said.
According to her, parents may express to the pediatrician their fear that the child is not playing with other children for some reason, but is often caught up in some type of monotonous, repetitive activity.
“But a pediatrician can only suspect neurodevelopmental deviations and refer the child for consultation with a neurologist and other specialists. For example, if a child is pretending to be deaf, he should have his hearing checked,” added the expert.
According to the latest data from one of the American studies, ASD is detected in 3.6-7.3% of cases among schoolchildren. According to the Ministry of Health in Russia, the prevalence of ASD is 1%.
“The high degree of variability in epidemiological indicators for ASD depends on the region of study, sample, and methodology used,” said Turti.
Learn more about the earliest signs of autism, at what age it can be detected, and how ASD is treated in Russia. report “socialbites.ca”.