The timely diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders and the treatment of children with autism are problematic in Moldova. To implement the best therapy methods for these children and to enable them to develop and acquire the skills needed for social inclusion, all the involved players should combine forces, Aliona Dumitraș, executive director of the public association “SOS Autism Moldova”, stated in an international conference held in Chisinau on April 5 and 6, IPN reports.

Attending the opening of the conference, Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection Silvia Radu said the future of the autistic children depends a lot on the involvement of the authorities, specialists and the whole society. Only together can the accomplishments be put into practice so that each autistic child and their families have access to therapy programs and can study life skills.

The minister noted that together with the approval of the plan of action of the national mental health program for 2017-2021, there were worked out the national clinical protocol “Autism spectrum disorders in children and adults”, the “Standardized clinical protocol for family doctors” and the regulations concerning the organization and functioning of the specialized intervention center for autism spectrum disorders.

The center is designed to offer specialized assistance to children and young people in fully realizing their physical development, cognitive, social-affective, communication potential by providing mental health, logopedic correction, kinesiotherapy and psychological services.

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication and by restricted and repetitive behavior, Parents usually notice signs during the first three years of their child’s life. These signs often develop gradually, though some children with autism reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace before worsening.