PGMA to open International Autism Forum

MANILA, Feb. 3 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead medical experts, foreign dignitaries and advocacy organizations at the opening of the three-day International Autism Conference (IAC) today at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The forum will discuss current research, knowledge, information, diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and policies for autism cases.

In the United States, one in every 91 children are found to have ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). In the Philippines, it is estimated that 500,000 people have autism, but only 5 percent of them are diagnosed and only 2 percent receive the necessary medical attention.

Christine Roa, executive director of Autism Hearts Philippines, Inc., said the event serves as a forum for Filipinos to understand the ailment.

Autism Hearts Philippines, Inc. is chaired by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

The forum highlights the Autism Institute of Asia, a locally based One-Stop-Shop for Children with ASD, the New York-based autism advocacy group Autism Speaks, and the Global Autism Public Health Initiative in the Philippines (GAPH).

Presenters in the conference include the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND), an international, multidisciplinary research organization based in Sacramento, Ca. (PNA)
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