PESHAWAR, Aug 20 (APP): In a commendable development, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa got first practicing specialists in diagnosis of Autism, a complex neuro-developmental disorder among children, registering constant surge in the province during the last few years.
Ms. Rutaba Arif and M. Kashif Khan both serving as Speech Language Pathologist and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapist, respectively at Center for Excellence for Special Children with Autism in Peshawar have qualified as `Practicing ADOS-2 Specialists’.
“The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) is a standardized assessment tool that helps in diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children and adults,” apprises Rutaba Arif.
Talking with APP, Rutaba informed that Ados-2 is designed to obtain information in the areas of communication, reciprocal social interactions, restricted and repetitive behaviors associated with a diagnosis of ASD. “It can only be used by ados-2 certified clinicians,” she added.
Due to lack of ADOS-2 Specialists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, parents had to take their children to Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore for diagnosis of autism that was very difficult exercise due to physical stress and financial burden as well.
After qualifying as ADOS-2 Specialists, both Rutaba and Kashif can provide diagnosis services to the autism patients in Peshawar.
It merits an insertion that Autism is an overlooked neuro developmental disorder among children and is on rise in the country with very scanty cure options.
According to rough estimates by experts in curing autism, there are around 500,000 number of artistic children in Pakistan and 150,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In most parts of the country, autism patients are in dire need of treatment from qualified therapists in diagnosis and treatment.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there is an institute in the name of Center for Excellence for Special Children with Autism in Peshawar having the capacity of providing rehabilitation and treatment to only 50 patients.
The center is presently providing treatment and rehabilitation services to around 70 autistic children, beyond its capacity of 50 because of stress of patients.
Qualification of Speech and ABA therapists from KP as ADOS-2 Specialists is a good development in treatment of autism and will provide relief to parents with autistic children in getting diagnostic services within KP.
