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Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Africa: Need for Shifting Research and Public Health Focus

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Comprehensive Guide to Autism

Abstract

Background: Researches from Western culture have consistently demonstrated that Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) can be identified as early as during infancy. In spite of such observation, late identification of ASD and poor level of awareness are the findings from Africa. The importance of early intervention in children with ASD is well known, but there will be no possibility of active intervention in absence of early identification and appropriate diagnosis.

Aim: This chapter aims at discussing issues related to identification of ASD in Africa and the need for focusing research and funding on developmental disorders among African children because the condition is increasingly becoming of public health importance as more children below the age of 5 years survive infectious and communicable diseases following improvement in healthcare.

Methods: Aspects addressed include prevalence of ASD in Africa, characteristic features of ASD in African children, identification/diagnosis of ASD among African children, and factors associated with late identification of ASD in Africa.

Conclusion: Late identification of ASD is a common observation among affected children in Africa. Such finding suggests a dire need to address factors associated with late identification of ASD in Africa with a focus on more research and funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child and Adolescent Unit, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

    Mashudat A. Bello-Mojeed

  2. Child and Adolescent Unit, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Upper Chime, New Haven, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria

    Muideen Owolabi Bakare

  3. The Children’s Hospital, Boston, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA

    Kerim Munir

Authors
  1. Mashudat A. Bello-Mojeed
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  2. Muideen Owolabi Bakare
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  3. Kerim Munir
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mashudat A. Bello-Mojeed .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Westminster, Faculty of Science & Technology, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

  2. Nutritional Sciences Division and Genomics Centre, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  3. Faculty of Society and Health, Buckinghamshire New University, Middlesex, United Kingdom

    Colin R. Martin

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Bello-Mojeed, M.A., Bakare, M.O., Munir, K. (2014). Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Africa: Need for Shifting Research and Public Health Focus. In: Patel, V., Preedy, V., Martin, C. (eds) Comprehensive Guide to Autism. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4788-7_151

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4788-7_151

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4787-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4788-7

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