WHO passes resolution on autism

The World Health Assembly of World Health Organisation (WHO) passed a Bangladesh-pushed resolution on autism in Geneva.

By: Editorial Team | | Updated: October 8, 2014 10:26 am

The World Health Assembly of World Health Organisation (WHO) passed a Bangladesh-pushed resolution on autism in Geneva. Also Read - Genes linked to common brain disorder, Chiari 1 malformation, identified

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim has hailed it ‘a great success’ for Bangladesh, bdnews24.com reported. Also Read - “Vaccines do not equal zero Covid": WHO calls for sustained efforts to control virus transmission

Bangladesh placed the resolution last year that received immediate board approval. Also Read - WHO chief self quarantines after coming in contact with COVID-19 infected person

The annual assembly is the supreme decision-making body of the WHO that passes such resolutions.

Passing a resolution means all 194 member states agree with it.

‘Now the neuro-development disorder has received global attention (in real term),’ Nasim said in his immediate reaction. ‘Every country will come up with technical and financial support.’

There will be ‘comprehensive and coordinated efforts’ for the management of autism spectrum disorder as per the resolution, he said.

Autism appears in the first three years of life and affects the brain’s normal development, hampering social and communication skills.

Those who suffer cannot pick up self-care tasks — dressing, self-feeding, using toilet and others – by watching and imitating. They do not make eye contact and have a single-track thought process.

But due to lack of trained manpower, many countries, particularly the developing ones, miss early diagnosis, aggravating their sufferings.

Many countries, mostly those in South Asia including Bangladesh, do not even know the extent of the disorder.

But a latest US study finds one in every 68 children to be autistic — a rate 30 per cent higher than what it was three years ago.

What is autism?

Autism is a developmental disorder wherein the normal brain development is disrupted very early in life. Autistic spectrum disorder is an umbrella term to encompass all the neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Autism impacts communication, behaviour and social relationships and approximately 67 million people worldwide are estimated to be affected by it. It is the fastest growing global disorder. In this condition, cognition skills are hampered because of altered nerve cells, although the causative factor is unknown. A combination of genetics and the environment have been found to contribute to the development of autism. Symptoms differ from one child to the other. Autistic children have varying degrees of impairment in communication and socialization, and have various behavioural problems in the form of repetitive behaviour, restricted play interests and sometimes very unusual interests.

Autism can be diagnosed in many cases by 3 years of age based on the symptoms the child shows. There is no cure for autism. But early diagnosis and early intervention with therapies does improve the long term outcome in autism. The various therapies recommended are occupational therapy, communication therapy and behavioural therapy. Medications are used to improve some of the symptoms like irritability, hyperactivity and aggressive behaviour when they do not responded to other therapies. The month of April is celebrated worldwide as Autism Awareness month with 2nd April being Autism awareness day.

With inputs from IANS

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Published : May 24, 2014 11:12 am | Updated:October 8, 2014 10:26 am

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