AUTISM and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Syndrome (ADHA) have become common disorders among children. The children suffering from these disorders need our special attention and care.
The wellbeing of their emotional, mental and physical health depends largely on society they live in. Research shows that such children overcome their shortcomings with time, provided they get complete attention, a supportive environment, and understanding people around them.
In Pakistan, it is heartbreaking to see that these children are mistreated and mishandled. At times, callous people even advise the ill-fated parents to keep the child home. To avoid any untoward situation, some parents do keep such children in isolation. This non-acceptance by society leads to the exclusion of these children from social, academic and physical activities that are important for their growth and development.
It is naïve of people to hate these innocent children or consider them a burden on society when we all are dependent on each other in one way or the other. Depriving anyone of their freedom and rights is a sin. Special children need our love, and their appetite for love is much more than a normal child’s. Let us feed them accordingly.
According to the Pakistan Autism Society, about 400,000 children are suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Pakistan. Autism is a developmental disability that remains with a person for life.
This condition affects the afflicted person’s brain functions. The first signs usually appear before a child is three years old. People with autism often find social interaction difficult as they are likely to have problems with verbal and non-verbal communication, demonstrate restrictive and repetitive behaviour, and have a limited set of interests and activities.
Autism is a complex group of neurodevelopmental disorders, also referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term ‘spectrum’ is used to describe the symptoms involving a wide range of skill impairments in ASD children. Some children display milder impairments while others may present more severe forms of ASD. Therefore, there is a need to explore the genetic markers responsible for ASD in Asian populations.
So far, most of the ASD-related genetic association studies have been performed on Chinese, Korean, and Indian populations, but there is no genetic association study reported in the Pakistani population yet. There is no reliable data available regarding the prevalence of ASD in Pakistan.
However, the Pakistan Autism Society has estimated that approximately 400,000 children in Pakistan are suffering from ASD.
Examining the genetic variants in Pakistani individuals has been challenging, as individuals with psychiatric disorders do not report their disease due to the possibility of social stigma. This results in an under-reporting of the number of individuals in Pakistan with mental illnesses and prevents patients from receiving care by trained professionals.
Atiqa Gul
Peshawar
