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01 November 2024

Autism awareness contributes to autistics persons’ full development 

Shahidul Alam Swapan

Published: 08:07, 3 June 2024

Autism awareness contributes to autistics persons’ full development 

Photo: Messenger

Everyone in society is different from everyone else. But this difference does not create a wall in their relationships. This point of view is reinforced by autistic sympathies. Indeed, social acceptance requires that every human being be accepted regardless of their caste, religion, or membership of a caste.

Thanks to compassion, when an egocentric person obtains his rights, he will also try to show compassion towards another egocentric person. On the other hand, this sympathy is not a favour or benevolence. It is a human right and a moral responsibility.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported in a recent study that one of the handicaps of the autistic brain is that it cannot anticipate situations. In other words, just as they have difficulty understanding what a particular event is, they are also very confused about what might happen later because of that event. Sometimes they concentrate excessively on the smallest details of an event. But they fail to grasp the phenomenon.

Because of these handicaps in the social development of the autistic brain, the child is very stressed when confronted with a social situation. Dealing with minor social situations becomes a source of great anxiety for them. In the absence of adequate help, support, or reassurance, this anxiety can sometimes turn into panic.

Another major disadvantage of autism is that the nervous system is very sensitive. Lights, sounds, smells, or environmental contacts that are normal for others may seem unbearable to a child or person with autism. These normal stimuli often produce an abnormal frenzy in their nervous system. Not knowing what to let go of and what to manage, these children suffer from unnecessary anxiety, fear and depression. Agitation, nervousness and even aggressive behaviour can occur.

It is extremely important to educate the public about autistic disorders. It is important to create a more inclusive environment for the autistic child or person by raising public awareness. Promoting understanding, dispelling misconceptions and raising awareness of autism helps to reduce social isolation and discrimination. Defending rights is a necessity of our time.

Remember that autism is a lifelong condition, but with early diagnosis and intervention, children or people with autism can significantly improve their skills and independence. Children or people with autism are not judged by their difficulties. They often have unique strengths, talents and perspectives. Hypersensitivity Many children or individuals with autism perceive sensory stimuli such as light, sound, touch, taste, or smell more acutely than others.

It can be overwhelming and cause discomfort or distress. For example, loud noises may be unbearable, or certain textures of clothing may seem too unpleasant. There is also blunted sensitivity. Conversely, some autistic people react badly to sensory stimuli. They may find loud noises or bright lights unpleasant. Children or adults with autism need to understand and try to understand their problems. Autism is a human developmental disorder that is observed within the first three years of a child's birth. Where the child must face various social communication and behavioural challenges. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Children with autism face challenges in interpersonal and social interactions, repetitive behaviours, sensory sensitivity.

There are many misconceptions about introverts in society, most of which are unfounded. If we succeed in disseminating adequate knowledge about ASD, these preconceived ideas will disappear. These traditional assumptions or comments involve making judgements about something without knowing it well. This negative view, born of ignorance, is disrespectful to the introverted person and their family.

In the case of children in particular, parents find themselves in an almost embarrassing situation. If awareness is raised more widely, everyone will come forward to ask for help. After all, any sensible person knows that this is not the result of poor discipline or bad teaching. In other words, neither the child nor his parents are responsible for this situation. What's more, there is no substitute for the early detection of serious health problems. Psychological problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or global developmental delay require therapy.

A comprehensive range of reliable information can prevent major losses soon by ensuring follow-up. The earlier autistic children receive help, the better their chances of becoming adults. People with autism face many obstacles in various areas of life, including education, employment. It has become a de facto disability across society, for which they lose social inclusion. Greater awareness and increased understanding will serve as the best tools to break this destructive cycle. Their different reactions and expressions towards others are never a major obstacle to their making an effective contribution to society. On the contrary, if they are given the right environment and opportunities, they too can become valuable. This was proven a long time ago. Many self-assured people have been more productive than ordinary civil servants.

Empathy reflects social rights, the most important of which is individual identity. Acceptance at all levels of society allows a person with autism to embrace their individuality. This gives them a personal pleasure that allows them to realise that they have value in the eyes of everyone else. This goes beyond raising awareness, which is not limited to acknowledging the existence of autism. The path to compassion involves valuing the person's opinion, taking their point of view into account and supporting their rights. Autism awareness and empathy contribute to the full development of the person with autism. Broad awareness helps to dispel misconceptions about autism. This translates into empathy. The self-esteem, sense of independence and social integration of autistic people are strengthened.

Research has shown that children born with autism can become more normal adults if intervention begins in childhood. Early childhood intervention involves identifying autism between 18 and 36 months of age and scientifically treating children with individualised education plans. The main treatment for these children is speech therapy and neurobehavioral therapy. Additional behavioural problems, sleep problems and physical problems can be treated with medical treatment and special schooling.

In this scenario of acceptance, the person appears as a human being in every sphere of society. Collectively these views play a positive role in both his mental and physical health. The development of the autism situation in Bangladesh is still at the same level as developed countries. Bangladesh has been celebrating World Autism Day on April 2 every year since 2015, along with other countries. Apart from this, a handful of organisations are also working at the international level to defeat autism. However, the educational institutions for these special needs children are quite expensive, which is beyond the reach of a common man at the marginal level.

Autistic children can one day overcome the limitations of social communication if they encourage autistic children to learn with everyone by using and training the manpower of general education institutions and local resources. Therefore, research and awareness should be increased in this regard. Although not an overnight solution, this problem can be positively impacted with concerted cooperation.

The writer is a Geneva-based private banking compliance security expert, columnist and poet.

Messenger/Fameema