Autism is a lifelong neurological condition that manifests during early childhood, irrespective of gender, race, or socio-economic status. The term Autism Spectrum refers to a range of characteristics. Appropriate support, accommodation, and acceptance of this neurological variation allow those on the Spectrum to enjoy equal opportunity, and full and effective participation in society.

Autism is mainly characterized by its unique social interactions, non-standard ways of learning, keen interests in specific subjects, inclination to routines, challenges in typical communications, and particular ways of processing sensory information.

In recent years, major progress has been made in increasing awareness and acceptance of autism, not least thanks to the many amazing autistic advocates who have worked tirelessly to bring the lived experience of autistic people to the wider world.

In this regard, IAA is holding several webinars from November 18 to December 20. Various topics including sensory-motor problems, learning to communicate through images, learning about the challenges and legal issues related to autism, and learning basic skills such as dressing, eating, and so on will be covered in these webinars, ISNA reported.

Iran Autism Association

IAA is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 2014 by specialists, experts, stakeholders, people with autism, and their families.

Their founding belief is to improve the quality of life and empower people with autism. IAA provides services such as training, rehabilitation, counseling, and support to develop their behavioral skills and pave the way for their independence.

Their vision is to transform Iranian society into an autism-friendly society by the end of 2026.

Services provided by Welfare Organization

On April 2, Ali-Mohammad Qaderi, head of the Welfare Organization, said, “We want to play our role well in changing the attitude towards people with autism and in recognizing and asserting their rights as citizens of society, just like other citizens.”

“In this line, the Welfare Organization is providing services in the form of setting up 110 daily education and rehabilitation centers and 16 multi-disability centers and with about 1,500 specialized personnel for about 5,000 people with an autism spectrum disorder.”

Moreover, four temporary residences, 399 vocational training centers, 127 production workshops, 16 job support centers, and 103 home care centers are now operating nationwide, he added.

It is a vital tool to foster an inclusive and caring society for all and to ensure that all children and adults with autism can lead full and meaningful lives.

The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and the lack of understanding has a tremendous impact on individuals, their families, and communities.

The stigmatization and discrimination associated with neurological differences remain substantial obstacles to diagnosis and therapies, an issue that must be addressed by both public policymakers in developing nations, as well as donor countries.

MT/ MG

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Teaching students with autism have complexities, and requires a great deal of effort and patience, as well as a creative mind and sharp eyes to find a way in order to develop and communicate with them, she highlighted.

Autism symptoms range from mild to severe that requires different levels of support based on their severity, she said, adding, some of these children are being integrated into public schools and educated alongside regular students, which helps them get ready to enter the community.

However, empowering ordinary school teachers in dealing with and educating these students is crucial, as inappropriate behavior can discourage them from attending school, she added.

Sometimes, however, parents of other classmates complain about the presence of autistic children in a regular school and ask the school principal to expel them, but it requires training of public and culture promotion, she lamented.

“If a student is suffering from severe autism and cannot attend regular schools, they will be referred to exceptional schools,” she noted, ISNA reported on Saturday.

“Our other concern is the assessment of students prior to school attendance. Workforce conducting assessment should also be given the necessary training, as sometimes a child with autism has sufficient ability, but at the time forgets what have learned before due to stress; therefore, the evaluation of these students should be different from others.”

Due to stress, some of them forget about their most basic needs like bladder control which causes them difficulties at schools, she said.

There are currently 49 autism training centers throughout the country, 30 of which are state-run centers, she stated, adding, 7 autistic boys’ schools and one girls school are operating in Tehran, while a number of provinces are completely deprived of such schools.

The important point, however, is that the educational spaces for children with autism is not proper, as classes on the fourth-floor of some schools are dedicated to autistic students which do not have a lift, she lamented.

These schools also require special facilities; for example, occupational and speech therapists who provide them with training must be employed in addition to teachers, said Saleh Ghaffari.

Also, the classroom differs on the way educational topics are performed, as they are trained individually and in group work, and there are usually between two to seven students in each class, although this number may vary depending on the severity of the disorder, she added.

Referring to educational content for these students, she noted that some of them are taught the books of normal students while others study the exceptional student’s books; so one of the challenges is that student books for autistic children are not prepared and only a book have been written for such students.

“We have sought to remove these barriers since the establishment of the association; we even called for the exceptional education department to come up with a memorandum of understanding to hold training courses for families,” she explained, lamenting our suggestions are always verbally welcomed, but in practice, there are limitations that hinder our cooperation.

According to the World Health Organization autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) refers to a range of conditions characterized by some degree of impaired social behavior, communication and language, and a narrow range of interests and activities that are both unique to the individual and carried out repetitively.

Individuals with autism often present other co-occurring conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The level of intellectual functioning in individuals with ASDs is extremely variable, extending from profound impairment to superior levels.

Evidence-based psychosocial interventions including behavioral treatment and parent skills training programs can reduce difficulties in communication and social behavior, with a positive impact on wellbeing and quality of life for persons with autism and their caregivers.

WHO estimates that 1 in 160 children has an autism spectrum disorder worldwide.

In January, Mehdi Shadnoosh, head of the transplantation and treatment of diseases department at the Ministry of Health, announced that currently, some 8,000 people have been diagnosed with autism disorder in the country.

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Parents with children aged 2 to 5 years can refer to the website and answer to 10 online questions, the Organization director Vahid Qobadi-Dana said.

By answering the questions parents will be informed weather their children are likely to have autism or not, Qobadi-Dana explained, adding that children who are susceptible to autism will be referred to nearest welfare offices to confirm the disorder.

In May 2018, Afrouz Saffari-far, an official with Welfare Organization, said that online screening helps in diagnosing the disease in children and providing subsequent rehabilitating services.

She also stated that estimations show that 1 percent of Iranian children suffer autism.

According to the World Health Organization autism spectrum disorders refers to a range of conditions characterized by some degree of impaired social behavior, communication and language, and a narrow range of interests and activities that are both unique to the individual and carried out repetitively.

Individuals with autism often present other co-occurring conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The level of intellectual functioning in individuals with ASDs is extremely variable, extending from profound impairment to superior levels.

It is important that, once identified, children with an ASD and their families are offered relevant information, services, referrals, and practical support according to their individual needs. A cure for ASD is not available. Evidence-based psychosocial interventions, however, such as behavioral treatment and skills training programmes for parents and other caregivers, can reduce difficulties in communication and social behavior, with a positive impact on the person’s wellbeing and quality of life.

According to priorygroup.com, it is so important to diagnose autism, as without a diagnosis this can make so many areas of life difficult, distressing and bewildering for the undiagnosed person. This can result in difficult behaviors and social isolation and young people who do not attain their best ability in school.

Once diagnosed, the young person can understand themselves better and realize that are not alone in the way they feel. Their parents and the professionals working with them can all learn how best to help them. The right services can be accessed and adaptions can be put into place in the educational setting.
A diagnosis can prevent so much distress as the child develops and can stop further psychiatric illnesses developing. Some young people with ASD do benefit from medication to help with anxiety or low mood or to help manage some behaviors.

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