THE discipline of Family Medicine has not been accorded its due place in the medical field. Doctors after house job do not acquire the skills as a family physician.
That’s why “Autism” remained a neglected field of Family Medicine. It is a fastest-growing developmental disorder which occurs 4-5 times more often in males than in females.
It was estimated to affect 24.8 million children in the world caused by the combination of genetic, environmental factors and autoimmune diseases with certain risk factors like rubella, alcohol, cocaine, pesticides, restricted fetal growth factors, autoimmune diseases and toxins during pregnancy. Autism is noticed in the early years of child’s life which affects all stages of development
Autism is regarded as a developmental disability in children, characterized by difficulty in communication, social interaction and restricted speech. Dr. Madiha Durrani (FRCS) is an Ophthalmologist with a creative interest in Family Medicine.
She has taken a bold step to pen down this booklet on “Autism” on World Autism Day. The book comprises Epidemiology, Patho-physiology, Clinical Features, Diagnostic Skills, Complications, Prognosis, Medication and Management of this disorder.
Furthermore, it encompasses the essential educational perspectives of the ailment for the parents, medical professionals and the society at large. It also highlights some unknown areas of Autism where further research is required by the professionals.
The menace of Autism can also be resolved by the conjoint efforts of inter-disciplinary approach where Physicians, Neurologists, Endocrinologists, Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Neuro-biochemists, Geneticists, Educationists, Sociologists, Family Physicians, Physiotherapists, Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapists may have collective wisdom to explore the underpinning patho-physiological principle of the ailment and its treatment. I appreciate Dr. Madiha Durrani to highlight this ignored area of Family Medicine.
