Unlocking the talents of autistic children

Autism and related developmental disorders, which are collectively called Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), are estimated to affect one in every 150 children worldwide. Although autism is linked with early brain development, scientists have not yet completely pinned down a cause for the disorder. In Bangladesh the number of autistic children is increasing according to media reports. The unfortunate thing is that these children and even their parents are stigmatised by many people. In fact, autistic children are often believed to be ‘possessed’ by those not aware of the medical condition, which can lead to such youngsters being ridiculed or shunned.

There are many who consider these children as a burden to the society.  Nothing could be further from the truth. The autistic children must be treated as an integral part of the society as many of them have proved abilities in education, sports and other extracurricular activities like other children.

Therapies that deal with behaviour modification, speech, social skills and motor movements are the best available approaches for the treatment of autism. While in some urban areas there are NGOs and self-help groups working to support autistic children, there is still very little information on autism prevalence in rural and remote areas. Recovery is possible especially if the disorder is diagnosed early. The social media has helped bring people together to form support networks.

The health authorities should encourage support groups working for autism awareness, while they should establish the legal and physical infrastructure that can help address this vital health concern. Universities should introduce autism-related courses in psychology curricula and establish on-campus medical centres to provide free-of-cost services and guidance to autistic children

Caring for children with autism is a full-time job, and it requires great moral courage and stamina on the part of the parents. However, many cases don’t even get diagnosed. Because of the dearth of trained health professionals it becomes difficult to reach autistic children. They don't have easy access to a tertiary level hospital. Not all doctors at upazila and district level are educated on autism. So misdiagnosis and mistreatment still occurs.

Another challenge that has to be overcome is in education. Autistic children have difficulties entering normal schools, even if they are capable intellectually and have relatively "good" behaviour. Most schools are reluctant to have autistic students: they foresee many difficulties in handling and teaching them. Instead of pitying, or worse, ignoring children with autism, the state and society must make efforts to rehabilitate them and unlock their hidden potential.

 

Unlocking the talents of autistic children

Autism and related developmental disorders, which are collectively called Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), are estimated to affect one in every 150 children worldwide. Although autism is linked with early brain development, scientists have not yet completely pinned down a cause for the disorder. In Bangladesh the number of autistic children is increasing according to media reports. The unfortunate thing is that these children and even their parents are stigmatised by many people. In fact, autistic children are often believed to be possessed by those not aware of the medical condition, which can lead to such youngsters being ridiculed or shunned. There are many who consider these children as a burden to the society. Nothing could be further from the truth. The autistic children must be treated as an integral part of the society as many of them have proved abilities in education, sports and other extracurricular activities like other children. Therapies that deal with behaviour modification, speech, social skills and motor movements are the best available approaches for the treatment of autism. While in some urban areas there are NGOs and self-help groups working to support autistic children, there is still very little information on autism prevalence in rural and remote areas. Recovery is possible especially if the disorder is diagnosed early. The social media has helped bring people together to form support networks. The health authorities should encourage support groups working for autism awareness, while they should establish the legal and physical infrastructure that can help address this vital health concern. Universities should introduce autism-related courses in psychology curricula and establish on-campus medical centres to provide free-of-cost services and guidance to autistic children Caring for children with autism is a full-time job, and it requires great moral courage and stamina on the part of the parents. However, many cases dont even get diagnosed. Because of the dearth of trained health professionals it becomes difficult to reach autistic children. They dont have easy access to a tertiary level hospital. Not all doctors at upazila and district level are educated on autism. So misdiagnosis and mistreatment still occurs. Another challenge that has to be overcome is in education. Autistic children have difficulties entering normal schools, even if they are capable intellectually and have relatively good behaviour. Most schools are reluctant to have autistic students: they foresee many difficulties in handling and teaching them. Instead of pitying, or worse, ignoring children with autism, the state and society must make efforts to rehabilitate them and unlock their hidden potential.