The availability of services for children with autism spectrum disorder in a Saudi population

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

Characteristics of healthcare workers at various autism centers in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (n=136).

Table 2

The availability of various autism services and programs at various autism centers in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (n=136).

Available services and programs	n (%)
Training and educational workshops for workers	127 (93)
Utilization of educational computer programs	125 (92)
Tools to teach and promote self-care	125 (92)
Referral access for services outside the center	111 (81)
Family educational workshops	106 (78)
Public educational campaigns	105 (77)
Programs for home care and outreach	80 (59)
Family recognition incentives and rewards	70 (51)
Integrative educational programs	53 (39)
Adequate sources of financial support for families	17 (12.5)

Table 3

Summary of the most common responses to the open-ended autism service questions among autism center in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (n=136).

Question and responses	n (%)
Best services provided by the center
Physical and occupational training	24 (17.5)
Speech and language therapy	16 (12)
Special education	12 (9)
Behavioral modification	9 (6.5)
Computer training and utilization	7 (5)
Other / not specified	68 (50)
Most important obstacles in providing adequate service
Family involvement	32 (24)
Child’s behavioral problems	18 (13)
Increased number of students	12 (9)
Work environment and space	7 (5)
Poor child’s hygiene	4 (3)
Other / not specified	63 (46)
Suggestions to improve the autism services
Increased parental involvement	22 (16)
Increased manpower	18 (13)
Improving work space and environment	11 (8)
Reduce number of children per classroom	7 (5)
Increase number of services	4 (3)
Other / not specified	74 (55)