Autism Spectrum Disorders in Africa: Current Challenges in Identification, Assessment, and Treatment: A Report on the International Child Neurology Association Meeting on ASD in Africa, Ghana, April 3-5, 2014

Authors

Kavita Ruparelia, Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Amina Abubakar, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Eben Badoe, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
Muideen Bakare, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Karren Visser, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research (Coast), Nairobi, Kenya
Diane C. Chugani, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA
Harry T. Chugani, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA
Kirsten A. Donald, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Jo M. Wilmshurst, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Andy Shih, Autism Speaks, New York, NY, USA
David Skuse, Behavioural and Brain Sciences, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
Charles R. Newton, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Document Type

Article

Department

Institute for Human Development

Abstract

Abstract: Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders has increased over recent years, however, little is known about the identification and management of autism spectrum disorder in Africa. This report summarizes a workshop on autism spectrum disorder in Africa under the auspices of the International Child Neurology Association and the African Child Neurology Association through guided presentations and working group reports, focusing on identification, diagnosis, management, and community support. A total of 47 delegates participated from 14 African countries. Although there was a huge variability in services across the countries represented, numbers of specialists assessing and managing autism spectrum disorder was small relative to populations served. Strategies were proposed to improve identification, diagnosis, management and support delivery for individuals with autism spectrum disorder across Africa in these culturally diverse, low-resource settings. Emphasis on raising public awareness through community engagement and improving access to information and training in autism spectrum disorder. Special considerations for the cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic factors within Africa are discussed.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Journal of Child Neurology

Recommended Citation

Ruparelia, K., Abubakar, A., Badoe, E., Bakare, M., Visser, K., Chugani, D., Chugani, H., Donald, K., Wilmshurst, J., Shih, A., Skuse, D., Newton, C. (2016). Autism Spectrum Disorders in Africa: Current Challenges in Identification, Assessment, and Treatment: A Report on the International Child Neurology Association Meeting on ASD in Africa, Ghana, April 3-5, 2014. Journal of Child Neurology, 1(9), 1-9.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_ihd/113