World Day of Autism | Autism spectrum disorder: the importance of diagnosis to improve the quality of life

"People with ASD can present difficulties in developing the language, but especially for understand sign language There are people who can not read gestures or double intentions, or have trouble understanding a joke, "says the doctor María Cecilia Ysrraelit, neurologist and board member of the Brincar Foundation.

In Argentina, there is no reliable figure on the number of people living with this condition. In the world today 1 in 59 children is in the autistic spectrum, with which "it is a cvery high prevalence. This is not a rare disease, and represents the most common cause of childhood disability ".

Autism is not a disease but a condition of which for the moment, the causes are not convincingly known. "While there is an badociated genetic factor, since brothers and sisters of people with autism are almost 10 times more likely to have it; as well there is an environmental trigger that is still unknown ", the neurologist specifies. And clarifies: "Yes, we know that vaccines do not cause autism, It has been proven in different studies that there was no relationship ".

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The diagnosis, key to a better life

With regard to the diagnosis, there are warning signs that can be perceived very earlyeven before the year of life. "They are linked to a visual eye disorder, a social relationship disorder,in the absence of a shared interest. That is to say that it is very common for a baby to summon his mother or father to show him something that interests him, but that does not happen in children. with autism and it's a clear signal, "she describes.

Currently, there are tools that allow you to approach the diagnosis early because "the sooner it is detected, the better the prognosissince the diagnosis it's a key that allows access to therapies to improve their quality of life. "

The Brincar Foundation as well as other organizations working on autism in Argentina are part of the autism spectrum network (RedEA), through which they developed a test for families with children aged 16 to 30 months and their behavior will raise doubts. "Through the site look at me. parents can answer a questionnaire to know if they need to consult a specialist, since it does not offer an accurate diagnosis but an orientation, "adds Ysrraelit.

On the other hand, in addition to a clinical and neurological evaluation, some exams that allow you to get even closer to the diagnosis and exclude or diagnose other serious conditions. "Auditory evoked potentials are usually routinely performed to badess whether children are listening well and if they are not suffering from an auditory disorder that prevents them from communicating." In some cases, resonances magnetic tests are performed, usually an electroencephalogram is used to eliminate the badociated epilepsy, and according to the patients, more precise tests are performed, "he explains.

Regarding the treatment, since there are not two people with the same autism, The therapies are adapted to each patient. For example, there are children who need a lot of speech therapy, others who need occupational therapy and others, more behavioral interventions. "In the beginning, when they are younger, they work on stimulation, then they focus, they are taught social skills, including how to behave with friends."

What about adults?

Autism does not disappear at 18 years old, however,adults with autism are the least likely to have and less spoken in generall, denounces the specialist.

The question most parents of children with this disease fear is what will happen when they become adults and they are no longer there? The reality in our country is catastrophic: in terms of social inclusion, 90% of autistic adults live with their parents and more than 80% do not have formal employment.

"There is no tool, there are very few resources and places prepared for autistic adults. The majority is in neuropsychiatry, there is a very large population in Borda and Moyano, and they are people who, with the necessary therapies, can be fully integrated into society. They are not dangerous, they have the ability to work. "

For this reason, from the Brincar Foundation, they realize the project "Casa Brincar", considered a training center to live away from home. "Casa Brincar This is not a home for boys, but a place to train thems and then live independently, depending on the possibilities of each. The important thing is that it is a place for training in the context of in-company training, workshops and providing more tools for training. Learn to live independently. Even learn to make tea, to make the bed, things that you do not learn most of the time. "

The project is advanced and is expected to be inaugurated in the next two months even though it needs funding to be viable in the long run.

This NGO, now nine years old, was born by two mothers of children with this disease and is dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with autism. They work first with autistic people, then with their families, train professionals and, finally, sensitize society.

"We believe that happiness in autism is possible.We choose to stand on the side of happiness, we do not look at difficulties, what my son can not already know, so we look for what can do and what makes them responsible ". Currently more than 5,000 families benefit from the programs and free workshops that they offer.