Burgos continues to establish itself as an international leader in the early detection of autism thanks to the bbMiradas programme, run by Autismo Burgos and the Miradas Foundation.
In recent days, Natacha Golabek, a clinical psychologist, and Carla Chilelli, an early intervention specialist—both from Asunción (Paraguay)—have visited the city to gain a first-hand understanding of how the bbMiradas programme works, with the aim of introducing it in their country and gradually rolling it out across Paraguay from January 2026.
Golabek and Chilelli work in the field of paediatrics and infant care, with a focus on improving quality of life from early childhood. During their visit, they held meetings and took part in practical sessions with professionals from the early intervention team at Autismo Burgos, as well as with María Merino, technical director of Fundación Miradas, and Fernando Terradillos, an analyst and developer at the foundation. They also visited the facilities of the B Burgos University Hospital (HUBU)B , where they were able to see first-hand how B eye-trackingB technology works—a key tool in the bbMiradas programme—as well as B El Alba SchoolB and the B Autismo Burgos residential homesB , where comprehensive care is provided throughout the life cycle.
The visit was organised by Miguel Gómez, director of Fundación Miradas, the organisation responsible for the international expansion of the bbMiradas programme, which is currently working to roll it out across various countries and contexts in Latin America.
“We’ve felt right at home. In Burgos, we’ve found a team that’s not only highly professional but also very warm and welcoming. The openness, friendliness and generosity with which they’ve welcomed us aren’t always found elsewhere,” said Golabek and Chilelli at the end of their visit.
Both professionals learned about the programme through various international events: Natacha Golabek met Dr José Luis Cuesta —director of the “Miradas por el Autismo” Chair— in Buenos Aires in 2018, whilst Carla Chilelli discovered bbMiradas during the 40th-anniversary conference of Autismo Burgos, held in 2024.
“We have been following the work of Autismo Burgos and Fundación Miradas for years. We identify with their values, their approach and their commitment to early detection, which improves the lives of people with autism and their families. This is the ideal we aspire to achieve in Paraguay,” they added.
The bbMiradas programme, developed in Burgos, combines eye-tracking technology, artificial intelligence and clinical observation to detect early signs of autism in babies. This pioneering tool, which has gained international recognition, enables personalised support to be provided from the earliest months of life, promoting better development and quality of life.
“Natacha and Carla’s visit confirms the international impact of the work being carried out in Burgos. We are proud that our model serves as an inspiration to other countries seeking to make progress in early detection and evidence-based intervention,” says Miguel Gómez, director of the Miradas Foundation.
Since its launch in Burgos in 2018, the bbMiradas programme has been rolled out to nine other Spanish provinces (Huesca, Segovia, Valencia, Badajoz, Seville, Granada, Murcia, Ceuta and Albacete) by Autismo España, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda, the Ministry of Youth and Children, and the Carrefour Foundation. To date, a total of 1,132 babies across Spain have taken part in the bbMiradas programme; 307 babies have been diagnosed before the age of 36 months; and early intervention services have been provided to 340 babies.