An Opposition private members motion that recently passed in the House of Assembly calling for improvements to autism services and programs in this province still hasn’t generated the results needed to help children receive timely diagnosis and treatment, says Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones.

In May, all three parties in the House of Assembly unanimously supported a motion that called for progressive improvements to autism programs and services that would enhance the quality of life for those suffering from the condition. While government committed to taking action to address the situation, parents are still contacting the Opposition Office with stories of waitlists up to 10 months before their children can be seen by the appropriate medical professionals.

“We recently spoke to a parent of a four year old boy in the Codroy Valley who has been advised that there are 70 children on the waitlist ahead of his son,” said Ms. Jones. “Staff at the Janeway could not provide an appointment for this child to be assessed for autism and was instead told that he would have to wait at least 7-10 months for his first appointment.

“It is accepted in the medical community that early intervention and diagnosis of children with autism offers the best supports and development opportunities. Such long waiting periods negatively impacts access to early medical assistance and does little to provide children with timely and accessible care to deal with their unique situations. Autism is considered a very dynamic neurological disorder and with earlier and consistent intervention, there is often more improvement for the children.”

Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate and relate to others. It impacts normal brain development leaving most individuals with communication problems, difficulty with typical social interactions and a tendency to repeat specific patterns of behaviour. Autism spectrum disorders change the way the brain processes information and can affect all aspects of development.