Raise Autism Awareness

Bini Dahal

It was through a Korean Netflix show that for the first time, I got the opportunity to learn about autism. The drama titled “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” portrays the character of Woo Young Woo, a young attorney with autism. She is a graduate of the most prestigious university in South Korea and is known for her ability to solve any kind of case without any issue. The depiction of autism in the drama is quite debatable. It does not represent the disorder as a whole but just sheds light on it. Thanks to this type of show, at least people have a little bit knowledge about autism. But if we think of this issue in general, we find that most people are completely unaware of it. 

So, to raise awareness and understanding of this form of disorder and support those who are suffering from the syndrome, the World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2 every year. The event was marked with different awareness-raising activities in Nepal, too. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) explains autism as a diverse group of conditions related to the development of the brain. Also referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it is considered to be a neurodevelopmental disorder whose characteristics can be detected in early childhood but not diagnosed until later. 

It affects individuals in a varying nature. Some of the symptoms include hyperactivity, causing self-injury, repetition, isolation, lack of language skills, avoiding eye contact and lack of early nonverbal communication, among others. 

The global health body estimates that one in a hundred children show autistic behaviour which is an average figure and it could be much higher. But apparently the number of autism-related cases in low- and middle-income nations is not available. This speaks volumes that there may be more people suffering from autism in such countries. A report unveiled by the Autism Care Nepal Society (ACSN) indicates that about 300,000 children in Nepal suffer from autism. 

Autism is incurable. However, its symptoms can be reduced, to some extent. Our society is still conservative at its core. When it comes to the birth of a newborn, we consider a child with no defects. 

The perception of the society is so negative that we are often unable to accept that our children are suffering from disorders such as autism. This has to be changed at all cost. Our responsibility lies in putting as much effort as we can to care for such children. With necessary intervention therapy and education, autistic children can be steadily rehabilitated. This means improving their social interactions, being able to manage their behaviours and striving towards living a more independent life. 

In Nepal, very few organisations are working actively to provide the required education and therapies for children living with autism. However, we still are way behind in making essential efforts. 

While the rich and the well-known people can afford therapies for their autistic children, it is not the same for the poor and underprivileged sections. They cannot manage to pay for the different health interventions and therapies for their children. This forbids such children from acquiring necessary education and therapies. The parents of autistic kids seem to have been going through psychological and emotional problems as well. It is high time that all the three-tier governments paid due attention towards fighting autism in a more proactive manner.