On the occasion of the month of autism, which falls this April, the Ministry of Community Development launched a reference guide, highlighting the most important challenges faced by people of determination with autism while they are in public places, such as hospitals, shopping centers, and airports.
The guide directs decision-makers and workers in various sectors to work on creating environments that are friendly to people with autism.
It also focuses on the families of autistic children “who play a key role in preparing them, training them on patience and not giving up, and bearing waiting for the turn.”
The Director of the Department of Care and Rehabilitation of People of Determination in the Ministry, Wafaa Hamad bin Suleiman, told “Emirates Today” that the guide, which was prepared by the Director of the Umm Al Quwain Autism Center of the Ministry, Fayza Muhammad Al-Maeini, explains the most important challenges facing people of determination with autism in environments. Most of them feel unfamiliar with the place, people or procedures, and their inability to anticipate what might happen next, especially since these experiences are new to them.
She explained that “the brains of people of determination with autism work differently from the brains of other people, because they have a different way of perceiving things and situations around them, so they need prepared environments and training to acquire certain skills and experiences.”
And she considered that “weakness in communication and social interaction skills, problems with hyperactivity and attention deficit, and sensory problems associated with autism disorder, which appear in some of them in different proportions and forms, may make visiting public places an uncomfortable and disturbing experience for some, because most of these places are crowded. And noisy, and requires procedures and general rules that need time.”
She added that “waiting at airports, for example, requires queuing, passing through checkpoints, and other procedures, which causes some people with autism to be nervous and disturbed, so they show socially unacceptable behaviors such as screaming, crying, self-harm, or hitting. others, or unwillingness to be in the place.”
She stated that the launch of the guide sheds light on the challenges faced by people of determination, and the need to create environments that are friendly to people with autism, through the solidarity and cooperation of government and private sectors and all members of society.
She pointed out that the guide’s axes are directed to decision-makers, workers in government and private institutions and sectors, and all members of society in order to provide friendly environments for people of determination, including those with autism spectrum disorder, adding that the guide focuses on parents of people with autism, who play a key role in preparing them. And training them to respond appropriately to certain situations, such as the behavior of patience and not giving up, and bearing waiting for the turn.
Bin Suleiman encouraged parents to take advantage of the information and instructions provided by the guide “because it will help them learn how to act when they feel embarrassed by the looks or reactions of those around them,” adding that “the first experience of people with autism visiting public places may be difficult and frustrating, but the training and experiences The repeated tips and instructions mentioned in the guide will, over time, transform the parents’ experience into an enjoyable time spent outside the home with their children.”
It is noteworthy that the world celebrates World Autism Day on the second of April of each year, and the month of April is dedicated to focusing on activities and events that support people with autism, educating members of society about the nature of autism disorder, and realizing its characteristics, with the aim of contributing to enabling them to obtain their rights through understanding their needs and challenges further.
4 goals
The launch of the “Autistic Friendly Environments” guide contributes to achieving four goals:
• Community awareness of the rights and needs of people with autism and ways to deal with them.
• Creating facilities to facilitate the use of them by people with autism, in order to make them feel comfortable in external environments.
• Create environments that support differences and allow for inclusion and participation for all.
• Reducing the isolation of people with autism, and developing their social skills.
• The guide helps parents learn how to act when they are embarrassed by the looks or reactions of those around them.
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