In reflection of the efforts of the United Arab Emirates towards people of determination and leadership directives to enhance their welfare, rehabilitation and empowerment in building the nation, the Ministry of Community Development celebrates the Autism Awareness Month "April 2024" under the theme “Moving from surviving to thriving”, by organizing several activities and events targeting students, parents and teachers to introduce them to their rights, rehabilitation and welfare services that may help their comprehensive and positive inclusion.
In reflection of the efforts of the United Arab Emirates towards people of determination and leadership directives to enhance their welfare, rehabilitation and empowerment in building the nation, the Ministry of Community Development celebrates the Autism Awareness Month "April 2024" under the theme “Moving from surviving to thriving”, by organizing several activities and events targeting students, parents and teachers to introduce them to their rights, rehabilitation and welfare services that may help their comprehensive and positive inclusion.leadership directives to enhance their welfare, rehabilitation and empowerment in building the nation, the Ministry of Community Development celebrates the Autism Awareness Month "April 2024" under the theme “Moving from surviving to thriving”, by organizing several activities and events targeting students, parents and teachers to introduce them to their rights, rehabilitation and welfare services that may help their comprehensive and positive inclusion.
The efforts of the Ministry target their support and empowerment based on the "National Policy for People with Autism Disorder" announced on April 2021 envisioned with "United for Autism", strengthen its efforts for the welfare, rehabilitation services provided by the Ministry's People of Determination centers spread across the UAE including diagnosis, screening and early intervention in addition to ‘autism guidelines’, a guide to the transition stage for families with autism disorder from adolescence to adulthood, a guide for parents to prepare people of determination for home examination, and home education guide for children with autism and intellectual disability to enhance awareness through the issuance of a series of social stories, self-protection and others.
Miscellaneous Events
During April, the Ministry's People of Determination centers organize various events, including introduction workshops about autism and the challenges facing people with autism, dialogue sessions targeting students' parents to improve their knowledge and overcome the obstacles they may face in dealing with their children with autism and a number of competitions and interactive activities.
Ras Al Khaimah Center for People of Determination organizes an awareness dialogue session, aimed at stimulating the language, discussing the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder for parents and identifying the importance of using social stories to guide and modify their behaviour. Dibba Al Fujairah Center for People of Determination organizes (5) educational workshops, an entertainment day for students with their parents and honouring distinguished parents. Al Fujairah Center for People of Determination will organize a number of activities that include artworks workshop by students with autism aimed at school students, activities for printing on canvas boards, weaving wool fabric. The events will include activities that bring autistic students together with school students.
Quality Services
The total number of students with autism registered in the Ministry's People of Determination centers has reached 250 students; the services provided to them include diagnosis, detection and early intervention according to the international approved tests and standards, educational classes for students, and supportive treatment services in addition to sensory and occupational therapy, language treatment and speech disorders to develop children's abilities to communicate, problems behavioural therapy facing children, which helps them adapt and learn sports, recreational and musical activities aimed at integrating these children into the local environment, outdoors activities such as swimming and therapeutic horse riding, family counselling and training services to enable families participate in the rehabilitation and training process, and pre-vocational rehabilitation services, to prepare students for future professions and jobs.
Um Al Quwain Autism Center
Um Al Quwain Autism Center of the Ministry of Community Development is the first of its kind at local and federal levels in the field of rehabilitation, training and educating people of determination with autism, hence the center’s number of students for the current academic year 2023-2024 is (96) students. The center serves students Um Al Qiwain, Ajman and Sharjah.
The center includes a group of specialists in the field of language and speech therapy, occupational therapy, special education teachers and classroom assistants, who supervise the process of rehabilitation and training students, in addition to (18) classroom assistants, where the classroom environment for people with autism has been equipped and organized in accordance with the best international practices, accommodating the characteristics of people with autism and enriching them with educational aids, aids and visual tables.
The center includes a number of treatment rooms, including the Sensory Development Room, to provide students with various stimuli (motor, tactile, auditory and visual) aims to reduce students' distraction, increase their focus and attention, develop their motor and cognitive skills and reduce unwanted behaviours. The center is equipped with multiple modern technologies and used for each case, according to its need.
Treatment & Rehabilitation
The center also includes an occupational therapy room to rehabilitate students in various aspects, motor, social, psychological, cognitive and sensory, with the aim of reaching their independence, improving their living standards and integrating them into society, in addition to the language and speech room where therapeutic sessions are provided to develop students' communication and language skills and recreational activities provided by the center such as the music room, gym, and computer room.
The center contains a sensory garden, equipped with the latest devices and games of various kinds according to the theory of sensory inclusion to be used in therapeutic ways in addition to fun and entertainment activities that develop the students’ motor skills, a training hall, through a series of training, specialized and guidance programs to the employees, parents, and the community. The center also provides therapeutic services for students, such as swimming and horse riding, memorizing the Holy Quran in cooperation and coordination with external parties.
National Policy
The "National Policy for People with Autism Disorder" is an integrated system of unified procedures and standards to provide more accessible services to people with autism and their parents. The policy seeks to qualify and raise the efficiency of specialized staff and improve the quality levels of the health environment, thus enhance the community awareness of autism spectrum disorder and facilitate the inclusion of people with autism in public and private education to ensure their involvement in various fields.
The policy comes in line with the vision of the UAE wise leadership to empower people of determination and within the framework of the UAE government's efforts to support people of determination and society generally in addition to the policies, initiatives and legislations, that support and empower people with autism and their parents at all ages, through early detection and accurate diagnosis, and clear educational paths meeting their individual needs at various stages of education, work and public life, leading to their inclusion and stability in the community, raising the level of their wellbeing, providing accommodation for people with autism leading to health, education, vocational training, employment, and public life equally like their peers.
Autism Disorder Symptoms
Autism is a disorder of the central nervous system that is scientifically defined as a brain dysfunction affecting brain functions leading to impairment in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, the presence of repetitive stereotypical behaviors and interests in limited activities and varied symptoms differ from one child to another. Autism Disorder usually appears before the first three years. Some children may have symptoms within the first 12 months, or not until 24 months or later.
Research shows that the apparent increase in the number of individuals with autism is attributed to the growing societal awareness of autism symptoms, advancements in early diagnosis and recognition in the early years of life, along with the inclusion of the disorder’s other categories affecting children which were not previously considered part of this disorder. Studies also indicate that Autism Spectrum Disorder is more common among boys than girls, with boys being affected at a rate four times higher.
According to the World Health Organization estimates, the abilities and needs of individuals with autism vary and can evolve over time. Some individuals with autism may be able to enjoy independent lives, while others may experience disabilities that require continuous welfare and support. Psychological and social interventions can improve communication skills and social behavior, positively impacting individuals with autism, their caregivers, and their wellbeing. It is essential that welfare aimed at individuals with autism is accompanied by social and community measures for further facilitation, inclusion, and support.