Rifat Zafreen :
Autism is a complex neuro developmental disorder that typically manifests during a child’s first three years of life. This impairs a person’s ability to communicate and establish meaningful relationships. Symptoms of autism can range from mild to moderate and severe.
This Autism is a spectrum disorder but in most cases it was not properly comprehended due to lack of knowledge. We even do not know that most people suffering from autism look no different than any of us. Autism Spectrum Disorder covers ODD, ADD, Depression, Auditory Processing, Sensory Integration Disorder, Gifted, Developmental Delays, OCD, Tourette’s, Anxiety, ADHD, Specific Learning Difficulties etc.
However early intervention can ensure significant improvement in this case. Effective programmes and management sessions focusing communication, social and cognitive skills and behavioural disorder management can help greatly in this case.
Though people were not very clear and even were unaware of Autism before, now aday they are aware of the special condition and have become more attentive to any sort of milestone delays. The best part is that people are now addressing the issue early on and seeking intervention.
This Autism or spectrum disorder though ranges from mild to higher order anomaly, not all communication disorder should be labelled as autism and even all children who miss their developmental milestones are not autistic. In fact the term Autism is slightly more complex than our common understanding.
Usually working parents are to stay outside home most of the time that make them unable to spend quality time with their children. This results in the exposure of the children to the inattentive care givers or gadgets with zero interaction. Consequently this life style leads these children having zero interaction capability. They get delayed in comprehension, communication capability and speech formation. But this is not autism. An autistic child will have many other symptoms in addition to speech delays including not being able to socialize or have direct eye contact during any sort of communication.
According to the specialists, mild to moderately autistic children can lead a normal life even with having admission to mainstream schools if appropriate and timely intervention can be assured. In the case of higher-end disorder, daily living skills are needed to be taught, obsession to be managed to make them able to live a near normal life as much as possible.
We have to remember, intervention is the only mediation. Behavioural disorders can only be managed through appropriate attention and care by the loved ones which the parents and care givers of these special children need to be aware of. Besides, other therapies could be provided to them if needed. For example some children walk late who are needed to be referred to physical therapists; children with speech delays and communication inability are needed to be referred to speech therapists. Children with sensory processing disorders react abruptly to any sort of touching or noise stimulation could be referred to occupational therapists. Children with nutritional conditions or deficiencies are needed to be referred to have nutritional therapies.
It is not always that if our children have speech delays, they need speech therapy, so this speech delay issue might be confusing in its entirety, because many children develop skills in their own sweet time and one child cannot be compared to another. Yet, there is still a thumb rule that pertains to cooing, crying, making gestures by the age of 3-6 months. After that by the 12th months, children will start babbling and by the age of 1.5-2 years, as child should be able to pronounce at least two meaningful words and so on.
Parents always worry about the speech delay of their children but the receptive skills are more important than this. And these managements need to be done in time, as early as possible, to prevent the momentary impediment into becoming an irrecoverable disorder.
Bangladesh currently has 16 lakh 44 thousand and 605 people with special needs and of them 47 thousand 417 are with Autism. Future of autism management looks promising in our country. Present government has taken many programs for the welfare of this section of people considering their economic and social safety risk and in order to ensure their social safety Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act 2013 and Neuro Developmental Disability Protection Trust Act 2013 along with related Rules have been compiled. Besides, Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council Act 2018 has been approved in the 10th National Parliament. In the 2018-2019 fiscal year 10 lakh people with special needs have got disable allowance and 90 thousand have been awarded with disability education stipend. Besides, Ministry of Social Welfare along with 103 service and help centers is working for the welfare of this section of people country- wide.
Schools, special education centres, disability service and help centres and Autism Resource Centres have been established under this government. All these initiatives have played an important role in case of communication, education, social capability, speech and language in the life of these people with special needs. In order to identify autism, provide service and train up the parents and care givers of these children with special needs, Institute of Paediatric Neurodisorder and Autism has been established in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in Dhaka. This institute has established nationwide paediatric neuro developmental and autism related management, training and research. Besides, work plan 2019 for Person with Disability Rights has also been approved.
With these initiatives of the government negative attitude of the society need to be changed. This will widen the path for their mental development and prosperous life. Proper education and training can lead them contribute in the development of the country. For this, along with education and training they need to be provided with required support and help from the family and society. Concerned government and nongovernment organizations, rich and aware people also need to come forward to support them.
So if 15 lakh people are affected amongst 15 crore with such disease in or other way, then everyone is related to autism directly or indirectly, one way or the other. It is really an issue of concern. In this case delay is harmful and the earlier the detection and intervention, the better is the management. Possibility and potential of these children and adolescents with special needs have to be identified and taken care properly. Proper care, education and love, warmth and affection can help them be an enormous possibility and potential without being the burden for the society and country.
(PID-Project Feature)
