Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism in Bangladesh Saima Hossain stressed empowerment of parents and other caregivers in combating the neuro-developmental disorder among children.
“Every parent or caregiver, particularly mothers of children having ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) should be empowered through training to support their children in leading a normal life,” Saima, also a member of Advisory panel of Mental Health of World Health Organisation (WHO) told a seminar on autism.
She said since the country currently did not have enough number of professional therapists to handle the cases of autistic children having their unique problems “there is no alternative to empower parents with special training to become advocates for themselves and their children”.
Saima pointed out that the parents and close relatives who needed to serve as caregivers to the autistic children should be provided with the particular knowledge and skills to administer them the occupational, speech and behavioural therapy including educational and social service needs.
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) organised the seminar titled, “Research for Autism: Assessment of mental health status among caregivers of children with autism and feasibility of creating a community based support system in Bangladesh” at its Sasakawa auditorium with Director General of Health Services Professor Dr Deen Mohammad Noorul Huq in the chair.
ICDDRB’S executive director Professor John D Clemens, Deputy Executive Director Dr Abbas Bhuiya, Assistant Prof of National Institute of Mental Health and Research also spoke.
The seminar was organised to release the report on autism to outline the strategy for parents’ empowerment for autistic children.
“One of the most important parts of the study is the awareness of the parents, who, better than any other social unit, can and should increase awareness of the mental health needs of children and change the way of our communities respond to those needs,” Interim head of chronic Non-communicable Diseases Unit of ICDDR,B and head of the research project Dr Aliya Naheed told BSS on the sidelines of the seminar.
The study found that one out of every four mothers of autistic children suffered from depression and out of five, four ASD child was male.
However, 79 percent of the mothers who were quizzed under the study said they received supportive attitude from the other family members while 45 percent said they faced bitter experiences.
