Qatar marks World Autism Awareness Day

On April 2 every year, the world marks World Autism Awareness Day to spread awareness about this disorder, and the different challenges it imposes on individuals and families. Qatar was instrumental in marking this day when it was first proposed in 2007 at the UN by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF). On this occasion Gulf Times spoke to Dr Fouad Alshaban, senior scientist at the Neurological Disorders Research Centre (NDRC), of Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a QF institution.Dr Alshaban spoke about the latest research on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and its prevalence in Qatari society, and ways to raise awareness.He said that a pioneering research study was conducted to find out the incidence of ASD in Qatar from 2012-2018. "It included conducting a general survey by a questionnaire for 93 private and public primary schools. It showed that 1.14% of students between 5-12 were affected, by one degree or another, with ASD. The study also revealed, after reviewing the records of all the people diagnosed with ASD of the same age group at Hamad General Hospital, Rumailah Hospital, Shafallah Center, and other private centres like the Child Development Center, Al-Tamakon Private School, found almost the same percentage. "This brings the incidence of ASD in general in Qatar to 1.14%, which is equal to one case of autism for every 87 people. This ratio is close to the global ratio (0.6% -1%) according to the World Health Organisation and far less than the American rate, which is one case for every 44. This means that there are about 5,975 people between the ages of 2-20 years suffering from ASD in Qatar, 1,990 of whom are Qataris."Studies have proven that early treatment and intervention for autism cases can bring about a radical positive change in symptoms and behaviour and lead to a clear improvement in the lifestyle of people with this disorder.Research also indicates that early therapeutic interventions are likely to have positive effects on the later symptoms and skills of autism in the long run. The earlier treatment is started, the better the outcome, especially between the ages of 2 to 3. During this period the child's brain is still forming, it is more flexible and likely to change than at older ages. Thanks to this flexibility, treatments are more effective in the long-term. "So, early intervention does not only give children the best possible start but also provides them with the best opportunity to grow to their fullest potential. The sooner a child receives help, the greater the chance of learning and development. In fact all of the recent guidelines suggest that an integrated developmental and behavioural intervention should begin as soon as autism is diagnosed or even suspected when signs and symptoms are apparent."So far, no cure for autism has been discovered, but many therapeutic and rehabilitation interventions have been developed and studied to be applied with young children in particular. There are also other interventions that can benefit adults as well, which may lead to reducing symptoms, improving cognitive ability and daily life skills and maximise the patient's ability to work and participate in society. "Research is continuing to find a treatment for this disorder, and we must now try to prevent or reduce the risks that cause its occurrence by applying some preventive measures. Such as avoiding the exposure of pregnant women to chemical pollutants i.e. pesticides, avoiding taking some medications such as depakine, which is used to treat epilepsy, and by eating healthy foods. As well as the necessary vaccinations such as the rubella vaccine and other preventive inoculation."In general, the severity of autism symptoms varies from person to person and for this reason autism is called a spectrum. The symptoms of some of the sufferers are mild which is known as high-functioning autism (previously known as Asperger syndrome). Compared to other people with severe symptoms and who are unable to speak and communicate with others and need special care and attention most of the time, this is known as low-functioning autism. "There is a certain percentage of people with high-functioning autism who have great and rare skills and abilities in some fields such as science, music and mathematics. There are many examples, such as the physicist Albert Einstein, the inventor of the electric light bulb Thomas Edison, the discoverer of gravity Isaac Newton, the musician Beethoven, and the painter Van Gogh, Bill Gates, and last but not least, Tesla electric car maker Elon Musk."A person with autism can sense the emotions that others feel, but he cannot understand them sometimes. They are often expressed in different and unfamiliar ways by others, which may make it difficult for him to deal and interact with his peers, and he may appear shy or unskilled. "Many people with autism build strong friendships through some common emotional interests and personal interests. There are also many people with autism who marry and have fulfilling romantic relationships, especially in the cases of high-functioning autistic people. There are many examples of successful marriages among people with autism, and we note that autism is rarely passed on to children."Concerning parents with children who manifest ASD, Dr Alshaban advised them to be patient and gentle with their children and to give themselves enough time to go through all the emotions and feelings they will experience, and not to suppress or subdue any of them. Many parents of children with autism find it helpful to talk to a counselor or therapist after receiving an initial diagnosis. They should contact the health care team and the community support teams near them to learn about the best programmes and other resources available to get the necessary support to treat their child's condition. As early intervention can enhance independence and daily living skills for the child.Families should be aware that many children with autism improve with treatment and with age. Some children with autism grow to lead normal or semi-normal lives. This is true for children with mild forms of ASD known as high-functioning autism.Regarding his recent book on ASD, Dr Alshaban’s message is to provide a guide with reliable scientific information about autism. He said: “I collected a bouquet of important information about this disorder and what accompanies it in terms of diseases, syndromes and other conditions. I wrote it to help the reader find what he is looking for in an easy and simplified manner while maintaining scientific, high accuracy and objectivity in its content for the purpose of raising awareness about ASD among members of society. I intended it to be a guide that helps parents to take the correct measures when they feel that one of their children may be subjected to ASD, so that they can get early and required health care.”