The children who suffer from autism are not admitted to kindergarten and school. A specialized center for such children does not exist even in Chisinau. According to the latest statistical data available, there were 108 autistic children in Moldova in 2010, 100 of whom were from the municipality of Chisinau. The data were presented in a roundtable meeting held to mark the World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, IPN reports.

”Obligatory screening for children aged 2-3 to establish if the child is healthy or not was introduced on January 1, 2013,” said the head of “SOS Autism” Association Aliona Dumitras.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. The disease becomes noticeable before the age of three and is more often met among boys than girls, said the director of the Center of Intervention and Behavioral Psychotherapy “HIPPO” Elena Vataman

The children suffering from autism start to speak later. 50% of them never speak. These children do not understand the non-verbal language. “They encounter difficulties in making friends and usually inhibit and isolate themselves. They do not like changes and thus the people because they often change,” stated Elena Vataman. If diagnosed in time, autism can be treated with the help of therapy. But the treatment is costly and not every parent can pay for it.

Specialists said it is important to adopt an autism law like in Romania, which would help these children. A national awareness increasing campaign centering on this disease is also needed.

The awareness raising campaign is carried out on the initiative of Moldova’s First Lady Margareta Timofti in cooperation with the Municipal Library “B. P. Hasdeu”, the International Women’s Club of Moldova (IWCM), the Foundation for Education and Science Development, and “SOS Autism” Association.

A new case of autism is discovered every 20 minutes in the world.