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Early support facilitates communication skills

Says expert from New Zealand about children with autism

Staff Correspondent
Extensive and responsive support at the early stage of life can best help the children with autism learn communication skills, said a speech and language therapy expert of New Zealand yesterday.
Alternative communication systems like picture exchange, manual signs and speech generating devices like iPad are effective for the children with autism facing difficulties in developing spoken communications, he said.
Dr Dean Suntherland of the University of Canterbury (UC) in New Zealand said in a workshop at the Nawab Ali Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University.
The DU and UC jointly arranged the programme in observance of the 7 th World Autism Awareness Day.
Citing recent research findings, Suntherland said explicit one-on-one instructions in an early stage is better than "wait and see" approach to the development of children with autism.
Autism is an enduring developmental disability of people having impairments of developments in communication, social relationship and repetitive and ritualistic behaviours.
Research suggests that one in 100 to 150 children and adults worldwide suffer from autism. In Bangladesh, there is a possibility that over a million individuals have autism.
Children's preference for one alternative system may influence the acquisition of early communication skills, said Suntherland, also programme co-ordinator of Inclusive and Special Education at the UC.
"It is important to identify ways in which to support children to develop communication and relationships skills," he said.
Addressing as chief guest, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq said it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that people with autism get respect and care.
"All in the society should handle them with patience and respect," he said, adding
that the government had already framed laws to protect them.
Citing example of world famous physicist Stephen Hawking, Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique said Hawking had neurological disorder, but it could not refrain him from makinggreat inventions.
"Similarly, proper education methods can help the children with autism develop their skills at extraordinary levels," he said.
Prof Sharmin Huq of special education department at the Institute of Education Research in DU said the number of children with autism in Bangladesh is growing, and so more trained teachers for such kids are urgently needed.