Free autism screening for toddlers
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, is offering a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for young children 18 months to 5 years of age.
The screenings are for children throughout the county, including Lehigh Acres, according to Pat Dolce, a public affairs specialist with the Lee Memorial Health System.
The next screening on the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will be held on April 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sanctuary Outpatient Center, at 8960 Colonial Center Drive, Fort Myers.
It is estimated that one in every 68 children is diagnosed with some form of autism spectrum disorder, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined, Dolce said.
Medical consultants for the project stress that an early diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families.
“They say early intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well,” Dolce said in a prepared statement.
The ASD screenings are administered by an advanced registered nurse practitioner, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders, she said.
Physician referral is not required for a screening.
To schedule a screening, call (239) 343-6838.
Free autism screening for toddlers
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, is offering a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for young children 18 months to 5 years of age.
The screenings are for children throughout the county, including Lehigh Acres, according to Pat Dolce, a public affairs specialist with the Lee Memorial Health System.
The next screening on the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will be held on April 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sanctuary Outpatient Center, at 8960 Colonial Center Drive, Fort Myers.
It is estimated that one in every 68 children is diagnosed with some form of autism spectrum disorder, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined, Dolce said.
Medical consultants for the project stress that an early diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families.
“They say early intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well,” Dolce said in a prepared statement.
The ASD screenings are administered by an advanced registered nurse practitioner, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders, she said.
Physician referral is not required for a screening.
To schedule a screening, call (239) 343-6838.
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