One in every 44 children worldwide, according to data from the North American Center of Diseases Control and Prevention Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (CDC/ADDM), is autistic. The survey proves the increase in the number of cases diagnosed over time, as this proportion has already reached 1 for every 500 children in the past. In Brazil, the numbers related to the condition are not accurate, as there is no official survey carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), for example. Current data from the CDC estimates that the condition affects 70 million people worldwide, 2 million of which in Brazil. The United Nations (UN) defined April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day.

To discuss aspects related to the functionality and autonomy of this part of the population, the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) will promote a lecture aimed at family members, students and health professionals in Rio Grande do Norte on April 4th with the theme: “ How can science promote the functionality and autonomy of autistic people?” The event is organized by the Multidisciplinary Autism Spectrum Care Service (Semea/ISD) together with multidisciplinary preceptors and residents, as well as master's students, from the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center (Anita) and the Edmond and International Institute of Neurosciences. Lily Safra (IIN-ELS), ISD units in Macaíba. Registration is open via link.

According to multidisciplinary neuropsychologist preceptor Samantha Maranhão, who is part of Semea/ISD, the discussion of this topic is important for family members, professionals and students in the health field. “It will allow us to reflect on the current challenges and potential for intervention with an emphasis on the autonomy and social participation of autistic people. Bringing together health professionals in training and researchers in the field will be fundamental to thinking about the future of intellectual rehabilitation for the clinical public”, he states. The following speakers are confirmed: Prof. Dr. Izabel Hazin, from the Department of Psychology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN); Prof. Dr. Cíntia Azoni, from the Speech Therapy Department at UFRN; the psychoanalyst psychologist Andréa Galvão; and the master in Neuroengineering and pediatric neurologist preceptor at ISD, Celina Reis. The event will also feature the participation, via teleconference, of autistic communicator Ricardo Oliveira, who addresses politics, the social model of disability, human rights through the YouTube channel Autismo Pensante.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a series of conditions characterized by some degree of impairment in social behavior, communication and language, and by a narrow range of interests and activities that are unique to the individual and performed on a repetitive basis”.

Exhibition

During the event, artistic works by autistic people treated at the Santos Dumont Institute Clinics will be exhibited. The art that illustrates this report is by Hector Ferreira de Araújo, 14 years old.

SERVICE

Lecture: “How can science promote the functionality and autonomy of autistic people?”

When: April 4, 2022

Time: 8am to 12pm

Where: Auditorium of the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neurosciences (IIN-ELS), in Macaíba

How to participate: the event is aimed at ISD patients, family members, professionals and students of health courses, in person with a limit to 90 people. Registration can be done online by filling out this form.

Live broadcast: The event will be broadcast live on the ISD YouTube channel (https://bit.ly/3iM0tEV)

Speakers

Dr. Celina Reis

Graduated from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN); Specialist in Neuropediatrics from USP and SBP; Master in Neuroengineering from the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD); PhD student in Psychology at UFRN – both on topics related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); works as a Neuropediatrician at ISD.

Prof. Dr. Cíntia Alves Salgado Azoni

Graduated in Speech Therapy from the University of São Paulo (USP). PhD in Medical Sciences from the State University of Campinas (2010) and Post-Doctorate in Medical Sciences from the Faculty of Medical Sciences, UNICAMP (2013). Adjunct Professor of the Graduate Course in Speech Therapy at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN.

Prof. Dr. Izabel Augusta Hazin Pires

Graduated in Psychology from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo – PUC-SP (1994). PhD (2006) in Cognitive Psychology from the Federal University of Pernambuco and Post-Doctorate from Universitè René Descartes – Paris V (2010). He has experience in the field of Psychology, with an emphasis on Developmental and Learning Neuropsychology. Coordinates the LAPEN Research Group (Research and Extension Laboratory in Neuropsychology at UFRN), Coordinator of the Talento Metrópole Program at the Instituto Metrópole Digital at UFRN.

Andréa Clara Galvão

Psychologist and Psychoanalyst with a PhD in Education (UFRN). Columnist for the Jornal Tribuna do Norte and Supervisor of the Specialized Children and Adult Center of Rio Grande do Norte (CRI/CRA SESAP/RN). Clinical director and professor at Instituto Bem-Te-Vi.

Ricardo Oliveira

Autistic communicator who discusses politics, the social model of disability and human rights through the YouTube channel Autismo Pensante.

Key facts about Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders begin in childhood and tend to have a chronic evolutionary course;

Although some autistic people can live independently, others have severe difficulties and require lifelong care and support;

Evidence-based interventions, such as behavioral treatment and parenting skills training programs, can reduce communication and social behavior difficulties, with a positive impact on the well-being and quality of life of autistic people and their caregivers;

Interventions for autistic people need to be accompanied by broader and more effective actions, making social participation, the guarantee of rights and communication, architectural and attitudinal accessibility a possible and fundamental reality for the social inclusion of these people;

Across the world, autistic people are often subject to stigmatization, discrimination and human rights violations. Globally, access to services and support for these people is inadequate.