RESEARCH & INNOVATION
T he World Health Organization has said if the condition is detected in early childhood, interventions could be developed to improve communication skills. In light of this, Senior Registrar in the Department of Paediatrics at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Dr. Gabrielle Scantlebury, has suggested mandatory screening of children at nine, 18, 24 and 30 months by pediatricians at local health centres, for developmental delays. She also suggested that official respite centres be established to provide a safe space, at minimal cost, for those diagnosed with the disorder, while their parents recharge. Her recommendations are contained in a study titled “Coping while Caring: The Quality of Life of Parents of Children Living with Autism AUTISM: Coping While Caring Autism, a developmental disability which affects one in every 59 children worldwide, should be tackled through mandatory early screenings, a leading healthcare researcher and Cave Hill alumna has argued. The incapacity, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurological and developmental disorder that is characterised by the affected individual having difficulty with social interaction and communication. by Carol Williams
CHILL NEWS 56
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