Early discovery and early intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder : Survey in Jiangyin China

Autism is a severe neuro-developmental disorder with strong genetic underpinnings. Its causes are so complicated that they have not been specified yet. If appropriate interventions are not provided to autistic children, they are likely to have poor prognosis, and therefore it is required that symptoms be discovered and treated in the early stage of development. Since no major epidemiological investigations have been conducted, it is said that no appropriate prediction about the rate of crisis can be made. Therefore it has been difficult to establish support systems for autistic children in fields such as medicine, psychology, education and welfare. In the present study a survey was conducted to 900 parents or guardians of children aged from 3 to 6 years old in Jiangyin city, China. It is hoped that the study will enable us to learn about situations about autistic children in China, and also to provide basic information for future Japan-China comparison. The study also aims to identify the problems to be solved about medication and education, and to establish systems for early discovery and intervention