2.5 mln children screened for autism across country

ANKARA

The Health Ministry has conducted autism screenings for around 2.5 million children aged 18 to 36 months as part of its large-scale screening and monitoring program since 2018.

The screening program, initially launched as a pilot project in select provinces before expanding nationwide, aims to detect autism risk early and offer timely intervention and treatment for affected children.

Through this initiative, more than 60,000 children were referred to child and adolescent psychiatry specialists for further evaluation. Of these, approximately 4,000 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, while over 8,000 were found to have other developmental disorders.

Speaking on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, Doctor Murat Gülşen, head of the department for autism at the general directorate of health services, emphasized the importance of early detection.

“Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that typically emerges in early childhood. It affects how children interact with the world, their language development and their behavior patterns. According to international data, autism is seen in approximately one in every 36 children,” he explained.

Gülşen detailed the screening process in the country, stating that family doctors assess children using five key questions to identify potential autism risk factors. If a child is deemed at risk, they are referred to child psychiatry specialists under the coordination of provincial health directorates, he noted.

In addition to screening efforts, authorities have also established specialized treatment centers for the affected children, Gülşen noted, revealing their intention to expand such initiatives further to reach more children across the country.