PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Tuesday, April 2ndmarked World Autism Day. The United Nations (UN) has recognized the rights of people with autism which is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the ministry, says according to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in 160 children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
ASD begins in childhood – in most cases the conditions are apparent during the first five years of life - and tends to persist into adolescence and adulthood, CPS said in its community awareness statement. Worldwide, people with ASD are often subjected to stigma, discrimination and human rights violations.
Some people with ASD can live independently, while others have severe disabilities and require life-long care and support. Evidence-based psychosocial interventions, such as behavioural treatment and parent skills training programmes, can reduce difficulties in communication and social behaviour, with a positive impact on wellbeing and quality of life for persons with ASD and their caregivers.
ASD refers to a range of conditions such as by some degree of impaired social behaviour; communication and language; a narrow range of interests; and activities that are both unique to the individual and carried out repetitively.
Individuals with ASD often present other co-occurring conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The level of intellectual functioning in individuals with ASDs is extremely variable, extending from profound impairment to superior levels.
Available scientific evidence suggests that there are probably many factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental and genetic factors.
