Living-Smartly.com – Being Wise, Healthy and Financially Sufficient

Rise in Autism Cases in India – 1.36 Crore Cases Recorded in 2012

Autism, a developmental disorder which affects the brain’s normal development of a child, found to be on six fold rise in India. According to the latest global survey, one in every 88 children is born with autism and the number of autism cases rose from 20 lakh in 2003 to 1.36 crore in 2012. Experts feel that in the recent years, Autism transformed into a global health challenge and the situation is becoming more perilous due to the lack of proper medication.

Autism, though a lifelong disability, appears in the first 3 years of the life. Unfortunately due to lack of awareness among the common people as well as among the medical professionals, autistic patients continue to go undiagnosed and hence left untreated.

Experts feel that Autism is the most difficult condition of disability and hence needs more trained professionals and schools. They also mentioned that for about 50-60 schools in twin-cities, there are less than 10 facilities which are dedicated to autism patients and there are very few trained professionals.

The magnitude of the Autism is such that it is the third disease, after Diabetes and HIV/AIDS, that has been given official recognition by the United Nations for setting aside a day in a calendar year for observance. Even as World Health Organization (WHO) and Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network have recognized Autism as the fastest rising developmental disability in the world.

Source: The Times of India