Number of children with autism on the rise, say doctors

Bengaluru: The number of children with autism and neuro-developmental disorders is on the rise with an increase of 300% in the last decade, Paediatric Neurologist Dr Suresh Rao Aroor, Director, Parijma Neurodiagnostic and Rehabilitation Centre, said.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of World Autism Day on Saturday, Dr Suresh said that one in 166 children had autism in 2004, and by 2020, one in 54 children had this disorder. Lack of timely diagnosis is the reason for the rise.

Dr Sudhindra Aroor, another paediatric neurologist at Parijma, said, "Parijma Neurodiagnostic Centre is established for the treatment of such children. For the last 30 years, it has been providing effective and affordable treatment. Parijma, the country's leading centre for the treatment of paediatric neurological diseases, has set up the first 3D Virtual Immersive Reality Therapy Centre in the country for the treatment of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

The 3D Virtual Immersive Reality Therapy Centre includes advanced treatment for health problems such as autism and cerebral palsy. Children can learn communication skills that they would never have learned in real life. It can also create an environment which eliminates fear and builds confidence in children. It is the first of its kind treatment centre in the country to have such a facility.

Dr Sudhindra said that the sooner neuro developmental disorders are diagnosed and treated, the greater the effectiveness of treatment. "We have observed that any child with autism who has started treatment at one and a half years of age will recover much faster than a child who has started treatment after 2-3 years of age. Multidisciplinary therapy is the mainstay in the treatment of children with neuro-developmental disorders," he added.