Thailand conducts thorough research on cuases of Autistic Disorder

BANGKOK, July 24 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Public Health is thoroughly finding the causes of Autistic Disorder, as world surveys have shown that there have been six out of every 1,000 children on average who have been diagnosed with Autistic Disorder. Dr. Boonruang Trairuangworawat, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Mental Health, told journalists on July 23 that he has assigned Yuwaprasart Waithayopathum Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital under the Royal Patronage of late Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana in Bangkok's neighboring Samut Prakan Province, which is internationally-recognized as a specialist in the treatment of Autistic Disorder in Thailand, to conduct the thorough research on the exact causes of the illness, which results in a delay in the normal development in speaking, linguistic and behavioral progress among affected children. Dr. Boonruang said heredity has been found to partly cause Autistic Disorder in children, namely those with the Fragile X Syndrome and Prader-Willi Syndromes, but thorough research projects are needed to find out the exact causes of Autistic Disorder in order to launch proper and effective treatment methods on patients. Dr. Boonruang explained that Yuwaprasart Waithayopathum Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital has been equipped with a world most advanced screening technique for Autistic Disorder, called Whole Exome Sequencing, in which more than 20,000 types of gene can be scrutinized. Besides, Thai health experts, including those at Yuwaprasart Waithayopathum Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital and Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, have been assigned to conduct pharmaceutical research projects on the proper and effective treatment of Autistic Disorder through medicines on particular cases. According to the senior official, results of all the assigned research projects are expected to be known by the end of this year. The senior official noted that the Thai Ministry of Public Health is also providing more access to immediate treatment to Autistic Disorder among affected children, as proper and efficient treatment will enable the Autistic children to be part of the country's workforce when they grow up. The senior official revealed that there are now about 300,000 Autistic children in Thailand and only about 10 per cent of them have had access to proper treatment. Meanwhile, the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention reported that one out of every 88 children in the United States have been found to be Autistic children with boys are five times higher tendency to become Autistic patients than girls. (TNA)