XN000022-1990-06-27 — Page 36

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1990

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SPECIAL PROVISION PROGRAMME FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN CLOSELY MONITORED

*

*

THE

WITH

PRE-

HON

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT (SWD) IS MONITORING CLOSELY SPECIAL PROVISION PROGRAMME FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND CHILDREN AUTISTIC FEATURES AND THE SERVICE DEMAND FOR NORMAL PROVISION IN SCHOOL CENTRES, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE NIGEL SHIPMAN, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON HUI YIN-FAT,

THAT EXPLAINED

TOTAL NUMBER AT PRESENT, THE SHIPMAN

OF CHILDREN AUTISM OR SUFFERING FROM CHILDHOOD DIAGNOSED AS

HAVING AUTISTIC FEATURES AND KNOWN TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT (ED) AND SWD WAS 827.

MR

ABOVE WITH WITH CHILDHOOD

OF THE 827 CHILDREN, 217 WERE AGED SIX YEARS AND AUTISTIC FEATURES, 372 WERE AGED SIX YEARS AND ABOVE AUTISM, AND THE REMAINING 238 WERE BELOW SIX YEARS OLD.

SAID AUTISTIC CHILDREN WERE COVERED BY COMPREHENSIVE OBSERVATION SCHEME.

MR

SHIPMAN

"SHOULD AUTISM

BE SUSPECTED,

THEY

BE MAY

ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING AT SOUTH KWAI CHUNG PSYCHIATRIC HONG KONG PSYCHIATRIC CENTRE OR TUEN MUN PSYCHIATRIC CENTRE,

THE

REFERRED

CENTRE,

FOR

++

OR. HE SAID.

TWO THE FIRST

AND NURSING

CENTRES STAFF

CHILD HAD

THE UNDER

WITH UNITS

OCCUPATIONAL SUPERVISION OF CLINICAL

THERAPISTS PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PSYCHIATRISTS.

THE THIRD CENTRE DID NOT HAVE A CHILD UNIT BUT CHILDREN

AS OUT-PATIENTS

SESSIONS

ATTEND SIMILAR TRAINING WAS PROVIDED.

AS

AND SPEECH

THESE

MIGHT THERAPY AND

CHILDREN,

MR PROJECT AUTISTIC

PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES AVAILABLE TO FOR SHIPMAN POINTED OUT THAT SINCE 1989-90, A THREE-YEAR PILOT WITH CHILDREN ΤΟ MEET THE NEEDS OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN OR FEATURES HAD BEEN INTRODUCED IN 11 SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRES (SCCC).

ONE

SPECIAL

(SCCCW) HAD BEEN CHILD CARE WORKER ADDITIONAL ΤΟ

WITH ALLOCATED

A

CHILDREN SCCC WITH SIX AUTISTIC

OR CHILDREN

CLINICAL AUTISTIC FEATURES, PLUS ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL INPUT FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST, HE ADDED.

MONTHS,

SHOULD THUS

"IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT MOST CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAMME

IMPROVEMENT

AFTER SIX SHOW

TO BE DISCHARGED ENOUGH ENABLING NEW CASES TO BE ADMITTED, MR SHIPMAN SAID.

NEED OF

AS AT THE END OF MARCH 1990, OUT OF THE 86 AUTISTIC CHILDREN OR

FEATURES CERTIFIED TO BE IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISTIC

SCCC SPECIAL PROVISION, 64 HAD BEEN ENROLLED IN SCCC'S, AND ONLY 22 WERE ON THE WAITING LIST.

/PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN