Rotarians Aree and Clarence visited Samoeng Hospital and Yang Moen Kindergarten in September to present Developmental Surveillance and Promotion Kits.
Developmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, are common and have a large impact on children and their families. These disorders can cause a high degree of disability for the child, and families and carers may also experience a large burden, including financial strain and experiences of social isolation. Early intervention and appropriate support can improve healthy outcomes for these children, but this requires early detection. The engagement of parents and carers is crucial to the effectiveness of early intervention and screening.
A recent assessment of early childhood development (age 0-5 years) found that 22% of children aged 0-2 years and 34% of children aged 3-5 years have delayed development. Language delay is crucial as it will impair learning.
In Thailand, a national universal Developmental Screening Programme (DSPM) for children was initiated in 2015 (http://thaichilddevelopment.com) to enable early detection of developmental disorders. The programme is implemented by health workers at primary-care clinics, from where children can be referred for further diagnosis and treatment by specialists.
Chiang Mai International Rotary Club is privileged to support the Ministry of Public Health Project to promote child development to honor HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
The Developmental Surveillance and Promotion (DSPM) kit is used by trained personnel to provide an early diagnosis of childhood development problems.