Kazakhstan introduces new methods to detect childhood autism early

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM – The increase in the number of children with autism spectrum disorder has been observed in recent years in Kazakhstan, Nikolai Negai, Director-General of the National Scientific and Practical Center of Mental Health of the Health Ministry, said, Kazinform correspondent reports.

The country has reported the considerable growth in the number of children with autism spectrum disorder from 37 in 2008 to over 750 in 2020, which Negai attributes to several factors, including the introduction of screening methods, specialist training, including primary health care specialists, greater access to assistance, and so on.

The speaker also pointed to some shortcomings such as failure to examine the condition, late visits, and late examinations, requiring improvements in approaches and new technologies.

He also spoke of the work being done to early detect autism in children. According to him, the new diagnostic methods are being introduced, including psychic and physical screening. He said that the new diagnostic methods ADOS-2 and ADI-R are to be introduced in the country. With the help of the ADOS-2 method consisting of five modules for different ages enables to detect the disease in kids as young as two years old.

It was noted that according to the WHO statistics, the prevalence of childhood autism rose by 1,300%, more than all diagnoses combined.