Expert meets parents of children with autism |12 October 2012

The University of Rochester psychologist was accompanied by Ambassador Erna Athanasius – who is the advisor for the autism advocacy project – and officials from First Lady Natalie Michel’s office.

Mrs Michel – who is the chairperson of the Seychelles Children’s Foundation – met Dr Yost recently in her capacity as the patron of autism in Seychelles and as the initiator of the autism advocacy project.

Dr Yost told the parents that the condition is more common in the US than previously thought, adding that severity among those affected varies.

He has been working with children for more than 40 years and is set to train a group of the professionals from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education on the administration of an autism diagnostic tool — the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Ados).