Autism Updates – a seminar on October 5, 2019, Makati, Philippines

Autism groups hold a seminar on autism science and treatment updates.

Autism, a condition once little known or recognized, has become a frequent, yet still little understood concern of many families. It is neurologically based, behaviorally manifested, and is categorized in the medical literature as Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The Association for Adults with Autism Philippines (AAAP) and the Stepping Stone Learning Center (SSLC), will jointly sponsor a seminar aimed at extending knowledge on the nature of autism, and best practices for improving the medical and dental health of persons with autism.

The seminar will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 1-5 p.m., at the Rotary Foundation Building in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati.

Worldwide, autism is estimated to affect 1% to 2% of the population. By this count, the number of persons with autism in the Philippines, with a current population of about 100 million, could be up to two million. Adding the involvement of autism parents and other caregivers, the number of Filipino lives affected by autism would be even more significant.

The reported prevalence rate of autism has been rising in recent years, even termed “epidemic” by some. A widely held explanation among autism experts is that the increase is fueled mainly by improved detection of the autism by families and the medical professions.

Because autism carries traits and behaviors different from the general population, how to manage the condition has long been an enigma, evoking heightened attention in recent years from the scientific and medical communities. This development has resulted in ever increasing knowledge about the nature of autism and appropriate interventions.

The three seminar speakers, all experts in their respective fields and trained and recognized in international circles, will present new knowledge from scientific studies and advances in clinical practice regarding persons with autism. Recent findings from scientific research will be presented by Dr. Lirio Sobrevinas-Covey, Ph.D. She is an autism mom who founded and is current president of AAAP, and is a research scientist and professor of psychology at Columbia University in New York. Dr. Susan Sarabia Reyes, DMD, who consults at the East Avenue Medical Center and the Philippine Heart Center is among a very few dental professionals who perform complex, often surgical procedures, with special needs patients, usually “first-timers” at a dental office. She has been an invited lecturer for the Special Care Dentistry Association-USA of which she is a member. Dr. Jan Harold Sia, M.D. is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician with expertise in the assessment and management of autism. He completed fellowships at the Yale Medical Center in New Haven, where he is board certified in pediatrics. He now practices at the Makati Medical Center and the Manila Doctors Hospital.

Information on ticket payment and other event details are available at: bit.ly/aaapeventoct5.

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AAAP is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving living conditions for adults with autism. Stepping Stone is a learning institution for persons with special needs, offering educational programs, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy.