The well-attended conference on the theme “Autism spectrum disorder” took place this morning in the Ciccio Geraci room in the Via Picone headquarters of the Order of Surgeons and Dentists (Omceo) of Agrigento, chaired by Santo Pitruzzella.
“We continue to talk about autism awareness – says Santo Pitruzzella – a journey that began with World Autism Day and continued with the Walk in the Valley of the Temples. A problem that must be addressed by turning to general practitioners and paediatricians of free choice so that the diagnosis can be made as soon as possible to help these subjects and to create a network between families, doctors and institutions. There are a number of autistic children that we lose in adulthood, people who become almost invisible, when in fact they need to always be followed. In this sense – continues President Pitruzzella – there are nurses who can receive reports from the family, the doctor or the individual himself, if able, identify the needs and organize the needs, facilitating the paths. It is necessary to network because you can and cannot cure, you can win or lose but when you assist and treat a patient you always win.”
Excellent speakers addressed the topic, also illustrating the steps forward made by the institutions: “Recently – explains Gioacchino Volpe, director of the child neuropsychiatry operational unit at the ASP of Agrigento – the health authority has activated many services and there there is still a lot in the pipeline. Today we have three day centres, an early diagnosis clinic and one for adults, we are reducing waiting lists and providing answers to health needs”.
According to Antonio Vetro, medical director of the CTS of Canicattì, autism is “a condition which must be respected – he declares – In the last ten years there has been a 40-fold increase in cases of autism in the world and in Italy one case every 77 children. This disorder mainly affects boys, the ratio is 4 to 1, and early diagnosis is essential: in 70-80 percent of cases, in which interventions are performed within two years, children acquire language. We know that the absence of language is the symptom that alerts families and with its acquisition we avoid the so-called “problem behaviors” which alienate the subjects and represent the major complication of autism”.
