The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) held this Monday (15) an awareness campaign about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at Supermercado Favorito, in the center of Macaíba, metropolitan region of Natal. The activity is part of a set of initiatives carried out by ISD throughout the month of April, which celebrates Autism Awareness Month.
The main objective of the external action was to dialogue with the population about ASD. This is because there has been a significant increase in diagnoses of people with autism – especially in children – in recent years, as more doubts have also arisen about the subject.
Preceptors, residents and students of health courses distributed informative pamphlets and explained to the community how autism is characterized. They also highlighted the existing forms of treatment and the rights of people with ASD, given that in Brazil autism is considered a disability for all legal purposes.
“We tried to bring accessible information to the entire population, such as warning signs, which can be noticed from the first months of life. At the beginning of development, parents need to be aware of any behavior that may be different and seek specialized help. Today, in the SUS, this first service can be provided in the basic network, in a health unit”, advises the speech therapist preceptor and activity coordinator, Luana Aprígio.
Observing these warning signs has been important for housewife Vanderlúcia Santos. Her grandson, who is just 3 years old, has characteristics that resemble those of people diagnosed with autism, such as attention deficit and difficulty socializing, but the diagnosis has not yet been confirmed.
“This action was important because it made me understand more about autism and how the family can help in the development of a person with autism. There is a suspicion that my grandson is on the autism spectrum, but there is no confirmation yet. If there is, we will ensure that he is able to deal with this situation in the best possible way”, he believes.
Virtual reality simulates an acute crisis for a person with ASD
One of the initiatives that caught the most attention during the activity held this Monday was the use of virtual reality glasses to simulate a moment of acute crisis for a child with ASD. The public was able to place the equipment that creates a three-dimensional environment and reproduces a hypersensitivity scenario for people with autism.
The setting simulates a shopping center in which the child waits for the mother to make a payment at an ATM. There is noise from conversations, sensory exposure to intense colors and movement in the corridors. The sensory experience ends with the autistic character hyperventilating and being led out of the mall by his mother, where he manages to be stabilized.
“The idea is precisely to make people understand how a person with autism faces normal situations. It makes us reflect on how an everyday moment, like going to the mall or the market, can be a stressful experience for people with autism”, explains psychologist preceptor Bárbara Cortat.
The professional comments that the occurrence of acute crises can be minimized through dialogue. “What we recommend is establishing predictability. The ideal is, before going to a space that you already know will be uncomfortable, tell the child that there will be noise in the place, that there will be strong lights. Contextualize for the child what they will expect in this space”.
ISD has a line of care aimed at children with autism. 60 children in this condition are cared for, all from Macaíba, aged between 0 and 5 years old. Screenings are carried out at the beginning of each year, with priority given to children who are already cared for by the care line. There are currently no vacancies available.
What is autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a diverse group of conditions characterized by some degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication.
Some features
- Difficulty understanding communicative gestures and facial expressions;
- Difficulty making eye contact and interacting socially;
- Stereotyped and repetitive movements and rigidity of thoughts and behaviors.
Is autism curable?
Autism is permanent, but with adequate support, people on the spectrum can learn to deal with challenges and better understand their potential.
About ISD
The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and includes the Edmond and Lily Safra International Neuroscience Institute and the Anita Garibaldi Center for Health Education and Research, both in Macaíba. ISD's mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.
