Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH), Dr. Swarna Wijethunga stated that the number of reported cases of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Sri Lanka appears to be rising daily.
She said this during a press conference held at the Health Promotion Bureau in view of the World Autism Awareness Day.
Dr. Wijethunga highlighted that a survey conducted in Sri Lanka in 2009 showed that one in 93 children was identified to have been diagnosed with autism.
“A survey conducted in 2009 showed that one in 93 children in Sri Lanka had this condition. Afterwards, the survey was not conducted systematically. Now it has been restarted, and we will get a different result… Autism cases are on the rise globally… We feel it is the same in Sri Lanka and that the number of cases are increasing day by day.”
Dr. Wijethunga also emphasized that early detection between 2.5 to 5 years can lead to significant improvement in 90% of cases.
Meanwhile, Community Health Specialist at the Child and Family Health Bureau, Dr. Asiri Hewamalage pointed out that the contribution of parents is crucial in identifying children with autism and other neurological medical conditions.
