Kolkata: In a unique initiative the state health department has set up a ‘district autism centre’ in all the districts of Bengal to strengthen early screening and diagnosis of autistic children for their better treatment at doorsteps and also to ensure that toddlers get all the benefits that the state government offers. An autism centre has come up in the district hospital in the districts where there is no medical college. The new facility has been introduced in the medical college in case of the districts which have a medical college and hospital. Earlier, the autism centre was not available in all the districts. A proper treatment for autistic children was only available in Kolkata and other cities.
The autistic children from the districts will now be able to avail treatment at their doorsteps at state government hospitals. Earlier the parents had to take their autistic children to various private health establishments where the treatment cost remained hefty. The patients did not get any disability certificates earlier. Instead, they used to get a certificate based on mental retardation. Now, the patients will get an autism spectrum disorder certificate as a result they will be eligible to enjoy several facilities which are offered to them both by the Centre and the State government.
After the ‘district autism centre’ comes up in each district, the people in villages will now be able to avail treatment by trained personnel. Assessment of autistic children, speech therapy, behavioural therapy and special education are being provided at all the ‘district autism centres’ to bring these children back to the mainstream of life. The Bengal government provides these children Rs 1000 per month as a pension while the Centre issues UID card that gives facilities to patients in hospitals in other states. Through UID cards autistic children can get train concessions. “If a child is unable to walk after he/she attains one year and fails to speak even after attaining 2 years of age, the parents should be alert and bring their children to the autism centre of the districts or to a clinical psychologist.
Parents and the people around should be aware so that the affected children are brought for treatment when they attain one and half years of age,” said Abhishek Hansa, clinical psychologist, at Balurghat District Hospital.
The awareness programme not only boosts their knowledge but also helps them cope with it more positively. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), commonly called autism, refers to a lifelong condition that affects the ability of the person to communicate and relate with others. Children with autism often have poor language skills, less eye contact and have limited interaction with people around them.