Charlottetown, The Guardian: Local News | Autism Society urges province to create made-in-P.E.I. strategy

Charlottetown, The Guardian: Local News | Autism Society urges province to create made-in-P.E.I. strategy: "Autism Society urges province to create made-in-P.E.I. strategy print this article
JIM DAY
The Guardian

The P.E.I. government is being urged to help create a provincial autism strategy to assist the many Island children who are failing to receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
Representatives of the Autism Society of Prince Edward Island highlighted to the Standing Committee on Social Development Tuesday a host of challenges facing Islanders with autism and their families.
Excessive wait times persist for diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) — a neurological and developmental disorder that is characterized by problems in social development, communication and behavior.
The long waits for diagnosis are a major concern considering best practice calls for early intervention as soon as possible. Nearly half of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can achieve full recovery with early intervention using behavioral principles and structured teaching, the standing committee was told during a 30-minute presentation.
The wait is also too long in developing and implementing effective early intervention strategies, the Autism Society noted.