Autism Spectrum Disorder: Raising awareness about disorder

Parents of an autistic child need patience. Parents need to be emotionally strong to take care of the child.

Autism spectrum consists of range of symptoms, skills and levels of disability. Autistic children find it difficult to communicate and interact with other people.

Well the disease starts from the first three years of life and may also show some signs even at the time of birth.

National Institute of Mental Health tells some of the following characteristics of the people with ASD:

- Difficulty communicating and interacting with other people
- Repetitive behaviours and limited interests or activities
- Symptoms that hurt the individual’s ability to function socially, at school or work, or other areas of life

On World Autism Awareness Day, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO South-East Asia Regional Director, focused that a society approach is necessary to uphold the rights of persons with the disorder, which can harm personal, social and occupational functioning.

“Persons with ASD must be empowered to access services and support that can enhance their health and wellbeing and facilitate their full participation in civil, political, economic, social and cultural life, she added.

World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2 every year to raise awareness among people about the patients of autism.