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SINGAPORE: Children may find it fun but a new test also has a serious purpose — to more accurately diagnose and assess students with autism in mainstream schools.
Dr Mariam Aljunied, a Ministry of Education (MOE) senior educational psychologist, wanted to develop something that would achieve this when she embarked on her research while obtaining her PhD.
The result: An engaging series of games and scenarios that tests social interaction and inference skills in children — qualities that autistic children usually lack or are less developed in.
"One of the challenges we face as educational psychologists (EPs) is that we need a more fine-grained tool to assess children with mild cases of autism that has less obvious symptoms," said Dr Mariam.
"We also needed something that could better determine the level of severity among children who are already diagnosed, so that we can develop more targeted intervention methods for them," she added.
Previously, she said, it was up to EPs to use their own methods of testing for the cases they see.
EPs would also have to depend on second or third-hand information from teachers and parents on the child's behaviour.
"With this test, they can test more accurately and make a better recommendation on how to proceed," she said. She emphasised that the test was not a screening tool to "sieve out" children with autism.
"I think it enhances the level of care we can provide at mainstream schools.
"It doesn't replace the need for other diagnostic tools but when used with other tests, it makes for a more systematic and precise assessment," Dr Mariam said. - TODAY/fa
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