The Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at Unicamp inaugurated on Wednesday (29) the headquarters of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Care Program (Silver). Funded with resources from parliamentary amendments, Pratea will be a reference, for the interior of São Paulo, in training educators to identify autistic children, in training health professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and in providing guidance of family members regarding the needs of children with this condition.
According to Eloisa Valler Celeri, head of the Department of Psychiatry at FCM and coordinator of Pratea, the public health network of Paulínia is the first city in the State that will be able to count on a protocol for evaluation, care and training of professionals for the treatment of children of 0 to 5 years and 11 months. “Progressively, we will create protocols and training covering specific issues related to ASD,” she said.
In partnership with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and through the Psychological and Psychiatric Assistance (Sappe) and Student Support (SAE) services, the Pratea team designs an assessment program and a therapeutic project for university students with a diagnosis or suspected ASD.
Pratea researchers estimate that, in Campinas alone, there are around 10 thousand people with autism. Adding the cities in the Metropolitan Region, this number could reach 30 thousand. In this scenario, Eloisa Celeri mentions the importance of diagnosis, multidisciplinary approaches and family guidance, especially when dealing with children under 2 years of age.
“We need to expand as much as possible the dissemination of information that helps family members, educators and health professionals in the early identification of signs of ASD. Despite advances in recognition and legal guarantees, there is still a shortage of care resources”, he stated.
According to the director of FCM, Luiz Carlos Zeferino, one of those responsible for the initiative, expectations regarding Pratea are the best, “given the need for a reference program that supports public policies for the SUS, aiming to qualify child care with ASD.”
