Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by delays in the development of social, communicative, and cognitive skills.
Estimated that 2–6 per 1,000 (from 1 in 500 to 1 in 150) children have an ASD.
The conditions become manifest during the first 5 years of life.
Impairments in Reciprocal Social Interaction as shown by a lack of response to other people's emotions and/or a lack of behavior change according to social context.
Impairments in Communication that take the form of a lack of social usage of language and impairment in make-believe and social imitation.
Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. There may be specific attachments to unusual, typically non-soft objects. May insist on particular routines and there may be a resistance to change.
There is an increased need for investment in mental health.
According to WHO, there has been a gap in the availability and accessibility to mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is an increasing need to provide a robust infrastructure for mental health services.
