20 years of MSSA – Press Release

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Respected colleagues and friends,

It is my great honour and pleasure to announce that Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism is celebrating its 20th birthday today, May 22nd. This period was neither too long, nor too short. The societies that can say they’ve achieved such a jubilee are scarce. The previous years were filled with turbulence in the socio-political field in Macedonia and this has been reflected in the society’s work. The activities were filled with highs and lows. Many members have marched though the society, out of which only the most persistent remain to ensure the implementation of its goals and responsibilities, which are the following:

  • primary prevention of persons with autism;
  • investigation mechanisms connected with autism;
  • investigation the effects of rehabilitation on the persons with autism;
  • treatment of the persons with autism;
  • cooperation with the parents of the children with autism;
  • coordination of governmental and non governmental organizations dealing with autism;
  • cooperation with international universities and associations whose priority is autism.

During these past years, we have demonstrated an equal position with other societies of this type in the EU, leadership in the field of special education and rehabilitation of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Macedonia and primarily care for health, education and social protection of this fragile category of citizens. In these 20 years we have tried to increase our citizens’ awareness about this topic and this is especially visible in the past 10 years through a spread of activities in which we have included stage stars, actors, athletes, scientists, politicians and naturally families with children or other family members that have ASD. For this purpose, we have held big events for WAAD April 2nd – four times. We have also organized five professional tribunes which treat not only ASD, but Down syndrome as well. We were organizers or co-organizers of nine seminars, symposia and conferences, most of which had international participants. During this period, 250 free diagnostic and consultative exams have been done on children with ASD. In 2002, the brochure „Chater for Persons with autism in Republic of Macedonia” was published and it was distributed to all 120 parliament members at the time.

From 2008 until 2017 MSSA was co-publisher of Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation and since 2019, it is also co-publisher of the international Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities (https://jrtdd.com), whose publisher is ReAttach International Therapy Foundation from the Netherlands.

Our members have participated in over 100 local and international seminars, congresses and conferences. We are authors of over 60 articles on the topic of autism and slightly less than 10 of these have been published in journals with impact factor. This gives a particular scientific impact to the society in the world of autismology.

Our members have participated in 15 local and international project, some of which are “Equity and social inclusion through positive parenting”, “A hollistic approach of person-centred planning for people with Autism”, “Autism Social Skills and Positive Parenting Programme” and “Autism Friendly Spaces”. The mentioned projects have been realized in the past five years and some are still ongoing.

In the past years two school books titled “Autism” and “Autism and pervasive developmental disorders”, which are mainly meant for the students at the Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation and the Institute of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje and can be used by medicine students, have been published.

MSSA is present on social media every day with popular posts about ASD meant to educate the general population about this complex disorder in our community.

MSSA was supposed to celebrate the 20 years’ existence jubilee with a big conference that was set to happen May 29-31 in co-organization with our partners “ReAttach International Therapy Foundation” from the Netherlands, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There were going to be more than 150 guests from our country, from around 20 other European and Asian states and from the USA. Because of this, we have switched to an internet campaign fit to honour this jubilee. This campaign is being shared on a daily basis on MSSA’s blog, and the official social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

We as members of MSSA will continue working and discovering new cases of autism, we will keep creating new projects, write scientific articles, help parents and naturally children and persons with ASD in direction of improving their life quality.

Please find 20 years of MSSA – presentation in Prezi on the following LINK.

Stay safe and healthy!

Sincerely,

President of MSSA

Projects of MSSA

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Dear colleagues and readers,

In 20 years history MSSA realized 15 domestic and international projects.  We want to put accent in last 5 years. In this period there are four projects from which someones are still ongoing. They are: Equity and social inclusion through positive parenting”, “A hollistic approach of person-centred planning for people with Autism”, “Autism Social Skills and Positive Parenting Programme”, “Autism Friendly Spaces”.

President of MSSA

Articles in scientific journals

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Dear colleagues,

Members of MSSA have published over 60 articles in domestic and predominantly in international scientific journals. Less than 10 of them are in impact factor journals. With this we are giving small contribution to world scientific map. We will continued to work hard on promoting Macedonian autism special education and rehabilitation and medical aspects as well.

President of MSSA

Cancellation 2nd Scientific ReAttach Conference 2020 in Skopje, Macedonia

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Dear colleagues,

We are sorry to inform you that we have decided to cancel the 2nd Scientific ReAttach Conference on May 29th-May30th, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
We will refund all conference tickets in the upcoming weeks.

Thank you for your enthusiasm for ReAttach and the overwhelming response and the warm welcome of the Macedonian Scientific Society of Autism as co-host of this event.

We especially thank all our invited presenters for their abstract submission. We intend to continue our international friendship. Of course, we will keep you informed about their papers that are coming up, future training, and events.

We would also like to draw your attention to our peer-reviewed academic journal that was founded under the inspiring leadership of Prof. Dr. Vladimir Trajkovski: Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities. JRTDD is an open-access journal with a broad scope and a fantastic international editorial board.  You can find it at https://jrtdd.com!

Yours sincerely,

ReAttach Therapy International Foundation
Drs. Paula Weerkamp-Bartholomeus,  President

Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism
Prof. Dr. Vladimir Trajkovski, President

Oxidative Stress in Autism Spectrum Disorder

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 2020 Feb 5. doi: 10.1007/s12035-019-01742-2. [Epub ahead of print]

Bjørklund G1, Meguid NA2,3, El-Bana MA3,4, Tinkov AA5,6,7, Saad K8,9, Dadar M10, Hemimi M2,3, Skalny AV6,7,11,12, Hosnedlová B13,14, Kizek R13,14, Osredkar J15, Urbina MA16, Fabjan T15, El-Houfey AA9,17,18, Kałużna-Czaplińska J19,20, Gątarek P19,20, Chirumbolo S21,22.

Abstract

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of July 11, 2016, the reported average incidence of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was 1 in 68 (1.46%) among 8-year-old children born in 2004 and living within the 11 monitoring sites’ surveillance areas in the United States of America (USA) in 2012. ASD is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental disorder that is also considered a hidden disability, as, for the most part; there are no apparent morphological differences between children with ASD and typically developing children. ASD is diagnosed based upon a triad of features including impairment in socialization, impairment in language, and repetitive and stereotypic behaviors. The increasing incidence of ASD in the pediatric population and the lack of successful curative therapies make ASD one of the most challenging disorders for medicine. ASD neurobiology is thought to be associated with oxidative stress, as shown by increased levels of reactive oxygen species and increased lipid peroxidation, as well as an increase in other indicators of oxidative stress. Children with ASD diagnosis are considered more vulnerable to oxidative stress because of their imbalance in intracellular and extracellular glutathione levels and decreased glutathione reserve capacity. Several studies have suggested that the redox imbalance and oxidative stress are integral parts of ASD pathophysiology. As such, early assessment and treatment of antioxidant status may result in a better prognosis as it could decrease the oxidative stress in the brain before it can induce more irreversible brain damage. In this review, many aspects of the role of oxidative stress in ASD are discussed, taking into account that the process of oxidative stress may be a target for therapeutic interventions.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32026227

Преведен ATEC на македонски јазик

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Почитувани колешки и колеги,

Сакаме да ве известиме дека Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist е преведена на македонски јазик и поставена на веб страницата на Инситутот за истражување на аутизмот во Сан Диего.

Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) претставува метода зa утврдување и анализа на ефективноста од третманот за аутизам. ATEC примарно е дизајниран да ја процени и утврди ефективноста на третманите со аутизам, но исто така може да биде корисен како алатка за скрининг за деца. Доколку родителите би можеле да вршат редовни психометриски проценки на нивните деца, тогаш цената на клиничките испитувања ќе се намали, овозможувајќи подолги клинички испитувања со поголем број на учесници. Прашалникот е дизајниран за употреба со деца на возраст од 2–12 години.

Листата е преведена на 22 јазици, меѓу кои и македонскиот и сите родители и професионалци можат да ја пополнат онлајн овде.

Претседател на МНЗА

ReAttach Conference – Final call for abstracts

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Dear colleagues,

We are honored to invite you to the 2nd Scientific ReAttach Conference which is held in
Skopje, Macedonia,  May 29th – May 30th, 2020.  

FINAL CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
In preparation for our final conference program, our scientific committee encourages you to submit an abstract for a lecture, workshop or poster presentation.  The general theme of the 2nd ReAttach Conference is “embracing complexity“. This theme refers to the development of specialized training for ReAttach therapists who work with complex neuro-developmental challenges. The topics below are designed to help provide coherence to the program, but not to be overly restrictive.

  • ReAttach
  • Early Intervention / Special Education
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Neuro-developmental challenges through the lifespan
  • Personal growth and performance

Special opportunities for parents, partners and service users

We feel that research, innovation, and clinical expertise must be accessible for all. Therefore a team of experts will be available for free consultations on May 31st. 

Early Bird Registration is open until December 31st
You can easily register for this event by clicking the link below.

We hope to welcome you in Skopje!

Kind regards,
ReAttach Therapy International Foundation

Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism

Одржaн првиот состaнок од проектот (1st meeting) Autism Friendly Spaces

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Почитувaни колешки и колеги,

Со зaдоволство сaкaме дa ве информирaме декa МНЗA зaпочнa уште еден Ерaзмус плус проект под нaслов: Autism Friendly Spaces. Пaртнери во проектот се: Prisms НВО од Мaлтa кои се и носители нa проектот. Други пaртнери во проектот се:

2. Learning designers, Spain
3. Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability, Malta
4. Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism, the Republic of Macedonia
5. Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, Malta
6. Autisme – Europe AISBL, Belgium.

Нa состaнокот нaјпрвин се претстaвијa сите учесници. Потоa се зaпознaвме со глaвните елементи нa проектот, мултипните состaноци кои ќе се одвивaaт еднaш нa годишно ниво во Мaлтa. Секaко декa беa спомнaти и очекувaните искоди од истиот. Се воспосaтвијa нaчини зa понaтaмошнa комункaцијa. Кaко и дa е, не` очекувa многу рaботa нa создaвaње н пријaтни местa зa лицaтa со aутизaм во Мaкедонијa.

Претседaтел нa МНЗA

 

Autism Friendly Spaces new MSSA Erasmus plus project

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Dear readers,

With great pleasure we want to announce that we got the new #Erasmusplus project togethter with partners from Malta, Spain and Belgium. The title of the project is Autism Friendly Spaces.

The main aim of this project is to create a change in community by :

  • adjusting environments to be more accessible to people with autism
  • providing training and creating awareness in the community
  • helping the social aspect for youth with autism.

Online modules specifically for school educators will be created. A certificate will be
provided once the modules are complete. Providing professional guidance to modify school space into an accessible and safe space for students with autism.

  • Providing professional guidance and training to employees on autism and how to
    provide an accessible space to people with autism.
  • Creating an Autism Friendly Award which will be given to shops/services who fulfill
    the criteria.
  • Creating a website and an app with information and location about the awarded
    services and shops which are participating in this project and the services that are being
    offered.

President of MSSA