Autism Awareness Day

Today the Autism Awareness Day is being observed in Bangladesh along with the rest of the world. The United Nations will observe World Autism Awareness Day with a global virtual event on the theme “Transformation: Toward a Neuro-Inclusive World for All”

Unfortunately medical experts say there is almost no awareness about this disease in many parts of the world, including Bangladesh. Even doctors are also not aware of the disease while treatment and other facilities about the persons suffering from it are also rare.

The persons with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are perhaps more misdiagnosed, misunderstood and abused than any other group in the country. This factor combined with a critical shortage of trained therapists and special education teachers continues to aggravate the lives of millions of people.

The symptoms of the disease included difficulty in mixing with other children, insistence on sameness, resistance to changes in routine, inappropriate laughing and giggling, no fear of dangers, little or no eye contact, sustained odd play, apparent insensitivity to pain, echolalia (repeating words or phrases in place of normal language), remaining alone, spinning objects, non-responsive to verbal cues and acting as deaf.

There is much hope for children with autism and, in fact, for all persons with disabilities in the coming years. he number of assistive, adaptive and rehabilitative devices for PWDs with physical, auditory and visual impairments is growing; prosthetics, artificial limbs, hearing aids, and Braille are becoming more sophisticated technologically, while their combinations with ICT promise an increase in communication, learning capacities and opportunities for education, independent living and employment.

According to WHO, 90 per cent of PWDs across the world have no access to autism treatment devices. Poor countries suffer the most because these are not easily available or even usable due to lack of affordability, awareness and low literacy. The vast implications of the UN secretary general’s strategy on new technologies as key components of government policies towards achieving the SDGs have yet to be understood by many governments.

There are no curriculums for training of teachers of autistic children, by government and private institutions. Even there is no facility for short-term training for teachers of autistic children. Late diagnosis of autism in children occurs due to poor awareness regarding autism among many doctors. And even of those doctors screening children with autism, many do not know to whom to refer their patients. The case is more acute for under-privileged autistic children

We now have many adolescents on the spectrum who are not going to school, there is no occupational training for them, so most of them stay home and live with their parents, which creates a big stress for the family. New babies are still being born who later get a diagnosis of autism. Without knowing the possible causes of autism we cannot stop the autism boom.

Children with autism struggle in mainstream schools because the curricula are not adapted to their needs, while in special schools, they regress as there are no specific therapies available to them. The absence of clarity regarding inclusive education, training, human resource development and budgetary allocations impact not only the livelihood, health and quality of life of PWDs, their families and communities, but also have far-reaching consequences for the country’s social and economic ranking.

In the context of autism, the development of augmentative and alternative communication devices, mobile apps, smart schools and sensory-friendly homes need more attention by the software industry.

There is presently no known cure for ASD. However, early intervention, specialised education and structured support can help develop an individual’s skills. Every individual with ASD will make progress, although each individual’s progress will be different.

Progress depends on a number of factors including the unique make-up of the individual and the type and intensity of intervention. With the support of family, friends and service providers, individuals with ASD can achieve a good quality of life.