More than 30 families receive early screening for autism spectrum disorder

The initiative brought specialized care to Sierra Gorda and Baquedano, improving access to timely diagnoses.

A multidisciplinary team from the Universidad de Antofagasta Clinical Hospital, in coordination with the Municipality of Sierra Gorda and with support from SQM, conducted a comprehensive early assessment for more than 30 children showing signs associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

“The event provided diagnostic services, guidance and support to families in Sierra Gorda and Baquedano, thereby improving access to specialized healthcare.” This is not just a professional mission, but also a human commitment to our children. “As mayor, I firmly believe that they should be at the heart of everything we do; we are a community that embraces the future,” said Adriana Rivera, mayor of Sierra Gorda.

Along the same lines, Aníbal Abogabir, SQM’s Community Relations and Public Affairs Manager, explained: “This initiative will enable us to obtain diagnostic results and thus move forward with long-term solutions that will involve specialists, the children and their families. In addition, our goal is to subsequently develop a second phase of the program, aimed at people over the age of 14.”

For his part, Luis Barra, the director of the Universidad de Antofagasta Clinical Hospital, emphasized the importance of these initial evaluations: “Our team assessed this group of children in the areas of development, language and communication. With these assessments, we can guide parents and promote educational, social and family-based measures that help improve their quality of life.”

The medical mission was also praised by the community. Javier Echeverría, a resident of Baquedano, said: “I hope it happens again, because it’s a real help to families. You learn more about ASD and gain a better understanding of how to support your children.”

The partnership between the Municipality of Sierra Gorda, the Universidad de Antofagasta Clinical Hospital and SQM reaffirms their shared commitment to advancing more accessible, inclusive and timely healthcare for families in the Antofagasta Region.