MOPH develops skills of doctors to diagnose Autism Spectrum

MOPH Develops Skills of Doctors to Diagnose Autism Spectrum.

In cooperation with the National Autism Program and in partnership with Weill Cornell University of Medicine (New York Hospital), and the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain in the United States, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) organized a training workshop on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) training program in its second edition, at Al Maha Center for Children and Adults at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The workshop came after the opening of Al Maha Center for children and adults and to achieve the goals of the national guidelines for early detection, diagnosis and treatment of autism in the State of Qatar, which were launched by MOPH in 2019, and have been implemented in all health sector institutions, in addition to contributing to raising the level of diagnosis for children with autism spectrum disorder. The ADOS training program is a very specialized tool for the diagnosis of autism and its features. During the workshop, 40 specialist participants were trained on a standardized assessment tool that helps service providers diagnose autism spectrum disorder in children and adults using semi-structured games, or interview questions based on the individual's age and level of communication. The training program aims to develop the skills and mentorship of researchers and clinicians with a previous background in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder, and formal tests such as speech-language pathologists, clinicians, psychologists and occupational therapists across the country's health sector in different clinical settings, while understanding the rationale behind the approach.