More than 11 thousand services provided at Natea in Tucuruí in the first half of the year

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Care Center (Natea), at the Lago de Tucuruí Polyclinic in southeastern Pará, provided 11,274 specialized services in the first half of 2025 from January to June. The unit offers, in particular, multidisciplinary support to children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with continuous and humanized care that has positively transformed the lives of many families in the region.

Little Miguel da Costa Ribeiro, 5 years old, is an example of the positive impact of this work. Diagnosed with autism, he has been receiving support for three years at the Pará government unit, with activities in child psychology, physical education, and speech therapy.

"Miguel has improved a lot, especially in behavior. Now he plays, interacts more, eats better, accepts changes, and sleeps well. Before it was very difficult; he didn't even eat properly," says his mother, Mirian Souza da Costa, a resident of Tucuruí.

Mirian Costa acknowledges that the service has improved not only her son's routine but that of the entire family. "Here we are welcomed. The care and dedication of the professionals make all the difference. This service has changed our lives. Of course, we still have challenges, but now we move forward with more hope," she summarizes.

Another mother who recognizes the positive impact of Natea is Tainá Santos de Almeida, 25 years old, a resident of Tucuruí. Tainá's daughter, Yasmin, 8 years old, has been receiving services for two years at the unit, with support mainly focused on psychology and physical education activities. "Yasmin has become more communicative, more confident. This has brought lightness to our daily lives. Natea has become part of our lives and has been essential for her development," she states.

Tainá Almeida also highlights the welcoming aspect as one of the service's differentiators. "We are well received and guided here at Natea. We create bonds of trust for life; this space makes a difference for my daughter and so many other children, as they receive stimulation, affection, and have the chance to come out of isolation," she emphasizes.

Reference

Natea at the Lago de Tucuruí Polyclinic, managed by the Social and Environmental Institute of the Amazon (ISSAA), in partnership with the State Department of Public Health (Sespa), offers multidisciplinary care to young people, children, and adults diagnosed with ASD. The unit provides continuous support in various areas focusing on the comprehensive development of users.

The work is conducted at the institution by a specialized team composed of professionals such as a neuropediatrician, pediatrician, psychiatrist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, physical educator, psychologist, nurse, social worker, among others who assist in treatment.

According to the coordinator of Natea, Cláudia Godoy, the service has been consolidating as a reference throughout the Lago de Tucuruí region, precisely because it combines humanized care, qualified listening, and specialized therapies. "We are transforming lives through continuous care. We stimulate social, cognitive, and motor skills in children, in addition to providing emotional support to families to deal with the challenges of ASD," she emphasizes.

Cláudia also emphasizes that the numbers are more than statistics; they represent impacted lives and stories that continue to be built with hope. "Each service we provide reflects a joint effort for more inclusion, more autonomy, and more quality of life for these children and their families. Behind these 11 thousand services, there are people who today believe more in a possible future. That is what drives us," she concludes.

Access

For first-time access to the service, municipalities within the coverage area of the regional state regulatory complex must make the request via the outpatient regulation system, directed to the specialty identified as Pediatrics – Natea. Pediatrics is the specialty defined as the entry point for the service and exclusively meets the demand of Natea's audience and coordinates the flow of internal referrals according to the specific needs of each user.