By Rose Mills Ortega
Santo Domingo. – Specialists in Mental Health and Child Development highlighted the importance of family accompaniment, early detection, and adequate schooling as fundamental pillars for the development of Children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).
During their participation in the TV dialogue table Mariala tonight, professionals in the area affirmed that an early, integral and human approach can make a significant difference in the life of infants with autism.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), one in 100 children presents some condition of the autistic spectrum, characterized by difficulties in communication and social interaction. Faced with this reality, the specialists called to rethink the traditional vision, suggesting that children with autism must be seen not as a deficits carriers, but as individuals with their own languages and logic who deserve understanding and accompaniment from their uniqueness.
The psychologist and psychotherapist Rosa María Bución highlighted the importance of the early observation of child behavior, while the child psychiatrist Zuleika Morillo assured that the signs of the TEA can appear from the first months of life.
For his part, Fernando Quiroz, coordinator of the Dialogue Board for Autism, said that “knowledge about autism in Dominican families remains minimal,” and emphasized that education and awareness are key tools to transform that reality.
Quiroz shared his experience as a teenager with autism and stressed the value of sensory stimulation in the daily life of these children. He also recommended therapies such as equine therapy (assisted therapy with horses) and other activities that help control hyperactivity and anxiety.
The specialists agreed that the school plays an essential role in the development of the autonomy of children with autism. They stressed that the school environment, together with adequate teacher training and sensitivity towards diversity, can be a powerful tool for inclusion.
Among the shared recommendations, it includes establishing visual contact from an early age, imitating the baby’s sounds, and responding to its babbling with affection and validation. They also urged parents to empower, inform and actively participate in the development process of their children.
Experts clarified that there is no relationship between vaccines and autism, and that there are currently no medications that heal this condition, although there are therapeutic tools that allow improving the quality of life.
Finally, they recalled the importance of pediatricians being updated in the area of child psychology, to detect possible signs of the TEA.
