utism is a lifelong neurological condition that is often diagnosed in childhood. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a sequence of appearances that affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Appropriate support, accommodation and acceptance of this neurological difference allow those on the spectrum to enjoy equal opportunity and full and effective participation in society.

The United Nations General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life for those with autism so that they can lead full and meaningful lives as a vital part of society. This year’s observance focuses on the contributions of autistic people at home, at work, in the arts and in policymaking. In recent years, major progress has been made in increasing awareness and acceptance of autism.

However, autistic people still face discrimination and other challenges. As with all populations, autistic people have a wide range of talents and challenges that are often not recognised by the world they are born into. In addition, the levels of awareness and acceptance vary dramatically from country to country.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around one percent of the world’s population has ASD, that is, over 75,000,000 people. Autism prevalence has increased by 178 percent since 2000.

About four times as many boys are diagnosed with autism as girls. Early intervention affords the best opportunity to support healthy development and deliver benefits across the lifespan. There is no medical detection for autism. Primary intercession can improve learning, communication and social skills, as well as underlying brain development. Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and therapies based on its principles are the most researched and commonly used behavioural interventions for autism. Many children affected by autism also benefit from other interventions such as speech and occupational therapy.

The degree of autism in all regions of the world is high, and the lack of understanding greatly impacts individuals, their families and communities. The stigmatisation and discrimination associated with neurological differences remain substantial obstacles to diagnosis and therapies, an issue that must be addressed by both public policy-makers in developing nations as well as donor countries. However, there is much more openness now to the idea that autism need not be seen as a disorder but rather as a neurological difference.

The first signs usually appear before a child is three years old. People with autism often find social interaction difficult as they are likely to have problems with verbal and non-verbal communication, demonstrate restrictive and repetitive behaviour and have a limited set of interests and activities.

About four times as many boys are diagnosed with autism as girls. Early intervention affords the best opportunity to support healthy development and deliver benefits across the lifespan. There is no medical detection for autism. Primary intercession can improve learning, communication and social skills, as well as underlying brain development. 

In Pakistan, there is no reliable data available regarding the prevalence of ASD. According to the estimates of the Pakistan Autism Society, about 400,000 children are suffering from ASD in the country. Examining the genetic variants in Pakistan has been challenging, as individuals with psychiatric disorders do not report their disease due to the possibility of social stigma. This results in an under-reporting of the number of individuals with mental illnesses and prevents patients from receiving care from trained professionals.

The diagnosis and treatment of autism in Pakistan occur in multiple settings and is provided by a variety of health professionals. Unfortunately, knowledge and awareness about autism are low among people in Pakistan and the presence of inaccurate and outdated beliefs regarding this disorder may compromise early detection and timely referral for interventions. There is a need to create awareness among the public about autism and how to address this debilitating illness.

The Pakistan Country-Report on Autism says that in South Asia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and others, have recently been exposed to the awareness, research and documentation on Autism Spectrum Disorder that has existed in the developed world for decades. Due to this, many children have been misdiagnosed or have been kept locked away in homes due to misguided belief in magic (primitive tribal/ religious thought) or due to social stigma. Apart from this stigma, lack of treatment facilities, training opportunities and poor attention from the government are some of the major problems that a family with autism has to face.

Inclusive Education is a new concept. A few schools are striving to create an inclusive environment through experimentation with various approaches. These approaches include establishing new inclusive schools, giving access to children with disabilities in existing schools, keeping children with special needs within the regular school and supporting schools with multi-grade inclusive classrooms. But these schools are restricted to big cities in the private sector and are not accessible to children with disabilities living in remote or rural areas. Also, some parents are unwilling to send their challenged children to school, fearing that they will be stigmatised. Distance and problems like travelling to school add to the difficulties for these children.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, entered into force in May 2008, aims to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of those with disabilities and respect for their essential dignity, needs to be implemented in letter and spirit. Children with autism have limitless potentials that are hidden. How we handle those to provide opportunities for utilising their potential is up to us.

On World Autism Awareness Day, let’s remember all people with autism and celebrate their accomplishments and talents. Let’s also pledge to do everything we can to support them and their families. A diagnosis of autism doesn’t mean that a child lacks skills; instead, children with autism can be stronger at certain skills than other children.

The writer is a playwright and a freelance journalist. He can be reached at pashajaved1@gmail.com and his blogging site: soulandland.com