World Autism Awareness Day was observed across the globe yesterday. Autism is a complex neuro-developmental disorder which impacts patients’ communicative, social and cognitive skills. The condition is misunderstood by most people, especially in Pakistan, where unfortunately most if not all neuro-developmental disorders and mental illnesses are simply written off as “insanity”. This has had tragic consequences. In the case of autism for example, it is estimated that there may be 350,000 children who fall on the autism spectrum in the country, most of whom remain undiagnosed, and as such, their needs will never be met and they and their families will be left to suffer unnoticed by Pakistani society and the government.
However, Prime Minister Imran Khan seems to have taken notice of the situation. He tweeted on Tuesday that a policy was in the works which would safeguard the welfare of autistic individuals. The PM also recognised that people on the autism spectrum have a real chance at life and that the policy would help autistic Pakistanis reach their potential.
It is not clear yet what this policy will entail, but the first step must be to educate the general public on the disorder itself. This is necessary if more schools and psychiatric facilities are to be equipped with the kind of equipment and personnel required for giving autistic persons and children the environment they need in order to thrive. Events like Aut.art – an event showcasing artwork made by autistic children held at the Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore on March 26, which was also attended by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif – are indispensable in this regard.
It is imperative that actions to help autistic children integrate into the mainstream are set into motion soon. Sadaf Shahid, the CEO of The Circle-Caring for Children – a child healthcare centre in Karachi – had warned last year while speaking at a seminar that in 1960, only one in 10,000 children was likely to fall on the spectrum, but today it was one in 59. The state must not write these children off as lost causes. *