National level conference on Autism:Womb To CradlePerinatology ConferenceByNabajatak Child Development Centre &Child Development Centre, Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata

25-26 April, 2025
KOLKATA, INDIA
Autism: Womb To Cradle is probably India’s first conference on the topic Perinatology of Autism, which was held in Autism Awareness Month. The Conference hosted high level, inclusive, evidence based topics with current developmental challenges and early intervention and priorities.

The conference focused on recent advances of Autism detection from birth which is available in India but is practiced in very few selected centres due to lack of skilled professionals. However it is spreading very quickly since last year; what we need to know or learn about is the risk of autism detection in womb. To do so we need obstetricians and paediatricians coming together. West Bengal branch of Indian Academy of Paediatrics joined hands with the Bengal Obstetrics and Gynaecologist society and neurodevelopmental chapter of Indian Academy of Paediatric in this conference for this reason. In this conference we discussed about the importance of first 1000 days and early intervention (early detection and early intervention) from the best minds of the state and country.
While the conference we targeted a large contingent in person, which reached out to different medical and paramedical specialities and super specialities therefore reaching out to a much larger number of participants worldwide, keeping also the cost and environment concerns in mind.

The conference focused on “Perinatology Of Autism’’. Perinatology is a sub speciality of obstetrics that focuses on the care of the foetus and complicated high risk pregnancies. Here in this conference we learned about what obstetricians in India are thinking about it today.
According to WHO, “Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a diverse group of conditions. They are characterized by some degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication. Other characteristics are a typical patterns of activities and behaviours, such as difficulty with transition from one activity to another, a focus on details and unusual reactions to sensations. The abilities and needs of autistic people vary and can evolve with time.”
Therefore there lies the importance of first 1000 days of birth.

In this conference we had the chairperson of Neurodevelopmental Paediatric Chapter of Indian Academy Of Paediatrics and the chairperson elect who are national chairpersons and national chairperson elect of FOGSI. We also had amongst us the National commissioner of persons with disability from Government of India and National director of National Institute Of Empowerment Of Persons With Intellectual Disability. We also had their regional director from Kolkata. Mentioned below are the respected dignitaries attended the conference.

1. Dr Anjan Bhattacharya, Developmental Paediatrician – Organising Secretary
2. Dr Bhaskar Pal – President Elect, FOGSI 2025
3. Dr Atanu Bhadra, Treasurer, IAP
4. Dr Swapan Ray, President WBAP
5. Dr Mihir Sarkar – President, WBAP
6. Dr Kawaljit S Multani – Chairperson, IAP Chapter of NeuroDevelopmental Pediatrics
7. Dr Zafar M Meenai – Chairperson Elect, IAP Chapter of NeuroDevelopmental Pediatrics
8. Dr Samir H Dalwai – National Coordinator, IAP Fellowship in Developmental Behavioural Pediatrics
9. Dr Indu Surana – State Coordinator, IAP Chapter of NeuroDevelopmental Pediatrics
10. Dr Basab Mukherjee, President BOGS
11. Dr Amit Basu, Honorable secretary BOGS
12. Dr Mahua Bhattacharya, Honorary clinical secretary BOGS
13. Dr Seeta Ramamurthy Pal, Honorary joint secretary, BOGS

Quote by Dr Anjan Bhattacharya: “Disability lies only in the eyes of beholder”

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