(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fazeena Saleem |The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Qatar being a leader in raising awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the health sector has emphasised early detection changes lives and knowledge dispels myths.
Leading up to World Autism Day on April 2, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and partners have launched an awareness campaign calling for a more supportive and enlightened community.
It highlights that early screening and applied behavioural analysis, with emphasis on the importance of the role of the family, especially parents, in directing therapeutic and training services provided to ASD children.
“Proper rehabilitation begins with early detection of autism,” the ministry has highlighted on social media platforms.
According to the ministry, comprehensive and specialised autism rehabilitation includes diagnosis, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, behaviour therapy, special education and much more.
Autism is not a medical condition with a cure, although there are treatments that can help mitigate the symptoms. It is still unclear what causes autism.
However, genetic, environmental elements, or both are likely to increase the risk of developing the disorder.
Breaking some myths around the condition, the ministry has said that communication abilities vary widely among individuals with autism and it ranges from early speech development to non-verbal communication. The ministry has insisted that understanding the condition is crucial in providing adequate support.
Ruling out the myth that parenting style causes autism, the ministry has said that there is no single known cause but adjustments in parenting is necessary to support a child with autism.
The prevalence of autism among school-aged children in Qatar is 1.4 percent. In 2007, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser supported a campaign that called for designating a World Autism Awareness Day during the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, which was approved unanimously by all UN member states. In addition to designating April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day, the resolution encouraged member states to take the necessary measures to raise awareness about autism in their communities.
In a recent development, researchers from Qatar University (QU), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Sidra Medicine, and collaborating institutions in the United Kingdom and Pakistan have led a study that successfully validated a blood test for diagnosing ASD in children aged 5–12 years.
MENAFN31032024000063011010ID1108040300
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.