Early Detection, Education and Appropriate Treatment with a Dose of Love are Keys to Confronting Autism

On the panel “Path Towards Inclusion: How to Understand Autism,” held at Funglode, specialists provided the keys to treating this disorder

A diagnosis made before a child reaches the age of two is vital for the timely treatment of children displaying symptoms related to autism spectrum disorder, said Yvette Bermúdez de Brea, therapist specialized in Functional Neurological Development, speaking on the panel about
autism.

During her presentation, Ms. Bermúdez recommended that parents seek help and work with their child as soon as possible, including before they receive an official diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode), through its Center for Health Studies and its sister organization in the United States, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), along with the Center for Autism and
Related Disabilities in Miami (UM-NSU CARD), Loxim and ORDEN, organized a panel discussion on April 10th: “Path Towards Inclusion: How to Understand Autism” as part of United Nation’s Autism Awareness Day.

Bermúdez, whose work includes helping children develop to their maximum capacity through neurological function therapies at ORDEN, explained that humans are born with organically-formed brains though not neurologically connected and, for
that reason, it is necessary for children to complete three stages in their first year of life.

These three stages are: Reflex, from birth to two months; Vital, two to six months; Understanding which begins at six months and continues to twelve months, she explained.

“At each stage, the maturation processes that contribute to capacities that will form the individual into a more functional human being are developed…the majority of children with whom we work at ORDEN are
referred to us with a previous ASD diagnosis.” ORDEN, Organización del Desarrollo Neurológico Funcional, is based in Santo Domingo.

She stressed that those with an ASD diagnosis find the Reflex state is the most disorganized, especially because it may cause alarm and impede the process from going forward, which is necessary to follow a holistic evolutionary approach, the driving motivation for greater acceleration in the child’s development.

Sara González Dajer, supervisor of Educational Services Support, talked about the importance of adopting a personalized educational system for students with ASD.

Having a great deal of experience working in Miami, she stressed that it is essential when discussing classroom inclusion to also talk about strategies that are basic and that will ensure positive incorporation of autistic students.

“First of all, it is important that
everyone involved in teaching students with autism work as a team and coordinate with each other in order to develop goals that promote independence and the overall education of the student,” she explained.

She recommended developing an individual education plan (IEP); designing an environment rich in visual content to promote communication, and create individual motivational systems.

She also suggested working with the specific needs of each
student in order to ensure social inclusion.

Psychiatrist Dr. Maritza López, referred to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic with the proviso that it is a heterogeneous group of children and adults with variable behavioral manifestations, different from each other, and with age differences.

She talked about the identified similarities that include affectations starting in the first year and definitively noted before the age of three years, with
incidence in terms of social and communication aspects. This includes retardation, absence and specific alterations, to name a few. 

In addition, the manifestation of rigid behavior patterns and limited interests, among these stereotypes, repetitive behavior and routine rituals.

“Scientific findings show us that Autism is a specific neurodevelopmental condition, with peculiar brain-organizational methods and mind functions,”
said the psychiatrist.

She added that its biological origin is unquestionably similar to genetic implications linked to environmental triggers.

“There is consensus as to which areas of the brain are involved: frontal and prefrontal lobes, parietals, thalamus, basal ganglia, limbic systems as well as an increase in the cephalic perimeter during the first year of life and the process of affected synaptic pruning,” said Dr.
López, endeavoring to explain how much science has studied this disorder.

She shared data collected in her own consultations, which reveal that out of 51 children diagnosed with ASD between January 2014 and January 2015, nine were diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome and 26 were under the age of three years.

Xiomara Lora de Núñez, Director of the Loxim Center for Human Integration, talked about the Systemic Family Constellation intervention
dynamic, developed by psychotherapist Bert Hellinger.

“The dynamic we have observed for more than 35 years is that children living with autism are causing and showing pain within the family system and, above all, the absence of one member of the system,” said Lora de Núñez.

Lora de Núñez stressed the importance of family love and acceptance to ensure and support scientific work in treating this disorder.

Dr.
Gustavo Rojas, Director of the Center for Health Studies of Funglode, introduced the panel discussion. Psychologist and member of the Center Eladio Hernández, moderated the panel that took place at Funglode´s headquarters in Santo Domingo.

More information:
www.funglode.org