Helping them grow: ‘Attitude towards autism must change’

Seminar on autism held at University of Health Sciences Lahore

LAHORE: Parents and people who take care of children living with autism need to be tolerant and patient as activities need to be broken down to smaller and manageable tasks for these children, according to Dr Aniqa Haider, the paediatrics head at WAPDA Teaching Hospital.

She said this while speaking at a seminar on autism at University of Health Sciences Lahore on Tuesday.

“In Pakistan, parents of autistic children have to grapple with challenges such as lack of awareness on the disorder and a dearth of proper medical expertise,” said Aniqa, who is also a mother of a child living with autism.

“Health care for children with the disorder is almost non-existent in the country. Even the disorder is a social stigma because of which family members usually deny the existence of any brain-related disorder. Such challenges lead to the child living in isolation,” she added.

“Every child with autism has the potential for growth,” Aniqa said. “Parents should never give up on the education of their child and should try to connect with other families or networks so they don’t feel alone in their endeavours.”

Tracing out

Autism is an impairment of growth and development of the brain or the central nervous system. Its symptoms are usually exhibited during the first three years of life.

The child having the disorder faces difficulties in social interaction and communication, repeats phrases and actions and is hyperactive. Although autism is linked with early brain development, scientists have yet to pin down a cause for the disorder, Aniqa claimed.

She said caring for children with autism was a full-time job, and required great moral courage and stamina on part of the parents.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2016.