Daily Times

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behaviour. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is said to be a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of age, according to medical experts.

Autism is known as a “spectrum disorder” because there is a wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience. People with ASD have difficulty in communication and interaction with other people; restricted interests and repetitive behaviours, and; symptoms that hurt the person’s ability to function properly in school, at work and in other areas of life.

Autism is manageable through art. This commendable and good news from the health point of view has been given by Lahore-based creative artist Samia Shahzad based on her year-long research on “Autism and Healing With Art” during which she had interacted with a large number of young and old Autism Spectrum Disorders sufferers in connection with her Final M.Phil Thesis at the College of Art and Design, Punjab University, Old Campus, in Lahore. In the display of her thesis, she had displayed artworks of autistic persons; the majority being of young age, to amply show how they can function beyond normality. This little piece is based on this scribe’s interaction with her on this quite interesting and knowledgeable subject.

Autism has a divine as well as a spiritual connection with art because it comes from the soul.

Samia Shahzad, who has inherited aesthetic abilities and artistic skills from her parents, became familiar with Autism when her struggle started with the birth of her first baby boy who faced certain challenges. Before this, her focus was on commercial art, but she switched to work for autism due to the hidden abilities and also chose the subject “Autism & Healing With Art” for her MPhil thesis.

She is so dedicated and concerned with autism now that she has already turned her studio into a place. There, she conducts art sessions and explores the brighter side of autism with children and adults, who suffer from this neurological issue, as vocational training to let them learn a skill. This could help them build and establish a promising future for themselves and their families. She has started this commendable work with her limited resources as she says quite emphatically, “this is the age when our new generation and youth is suffering depression and anxiety. “Art certainly and surely has the healing and medicinal power and helps in improving behaviours and reducing stress just like catharsis,” she added.

She has requested the Federal Government to provide a platform so that she can start a proper vocational training institution; exhibit artwork of ASD sufferers to promote their abilities, give them a skill and improve their lifestyle.

Samia Shahzad does not want to restrict herself, only working for Autism Spectrum Disorder, but is keen to work for other neurological conditions like Down Syndrome, Schizophrenia etc.

Talking about a turning point in her life, she says, “There is a turning point in everyone’s life. It is like peeling of these phases, layer by layer and every single phase has its own colour and is hiding a surprise. The birth of my first child with certain health problems changed my perception about life and led me to adopt a specific mindset; gradually changed my point of about what life really is.”

Accordingly, she joined an inclusive school system

as the art teacher where she got an opportunity to work with neuro-diverse children without any particular training in this regard. But she was helped by her motherly instincts in doing this impossible task. There was a teenage student there who suffered from autism and had a zilch interest in arts. Directing him towards arts was her first-ever experiment. This created an urge in her to work with neurodiverse people as she has a passion for doing impossible tasks. While doing research work for her M Phil, she created a hand-painted book; describing the struggle of parents who have differently-abled children.

She strongly believes that autism has a divine as well as a spiritual connection with art because it comes from the soul and ASD children are exceptionally blessed. Art has medicinal powers that can heal them.

She has a lot to talk about the experience she had while interacting with young and old ASD sufferers. As briefly mentioned above also, she has created a space in her studio for children

who want to learn art or tend to improve their behaviour and lives with its medicinal powers and concludes by saying “I aim to give them vocational art training that can at least help them become financially stable or independent in the future because this is the prime and major concern of their parents and families: what would happen to them after they are gone.”

She must be encouraged, patronized and supported for accomplishing her cherished objectives, please.

The writer is Lahore-based Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News) Radio Pakistan Islamabad and can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com