Autistic artists make cute faces at the Iuiuiu exhibition (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – No official survey has been conductedto count the number of autistic children in Vietnam yet, but the Ministry ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs estimates that some 200,000 children in thecountry are living with autism.
The figure would reach 500,000 according to thestandards of the World Health Organisation.
Open your heart tochildren with autism
“If you open your heart to children with autism,you will see they are not necessarily mentally disordered. In fact, many have a higherlevel of intelligence than the average child and some have extraordinarycapabilities in different fields, such as memory, maths, art and physics,” saidPham Thi Ngan.
Pham Thi Ngan and her husband Nguyen Dinh Nguyen co-found Tohe Social Company (Source: VNA)Ngan and her husband Nguyen Dinh Nguyen were inspired by thecapabilities of those on the autism spectrum after they volunteered forinternational organisations that raise public awareness of autism in Vietnam.
They founded the Hanoi-based Tohe SocialCompany, which encourages disadvantaged children to express themselves via artand then benefit from their creative products.
“We saw the economic values of the art works created by artists with autism,” Ngan told Vietnam News Agency.
“We set up Tohe to connect the autistic persons’ talents and skills to the huge-potential creative industry.”
Ngan was listed among 121 Global Young Leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2016 for her humanitarian initiative.
Tohe has ran a wide range of social activities over the past 12 years for children with disadvantaged backgrounds, including those on the autism spectrum.
It organised the “Iuiuiu” (cute) exhibition with paintings and sculptures made by children with autism, and three workshops in April to consult parents of children with autism and raise public awareness of autism.
Visitors write their feelings for autistic artists on a board at the exhibition (Source: Phuong Vu/VNA)“We (WAD members) share the passion of befriending, assistingand playing with people with autism,” Dang Thuy Hong, WAD leader and foundertold VNA.
Since its establishment in September 2016, WAD has organised 64 activities and playgrounds for autistic kids to play, create art and connect with the community.
Autistic children in Ho Chi Minh City in the "one hug, million joys" campaign (Source: courtesy of WAD)In 2017, the WAD hosted a “Free Hugs” campaign to helpautistic kids connect with each other and the community.
It also launched WAD Library, the first in HCM City for autistic youths in the year. The library was funded by the Institute for Studies of Society, Economics and Environment (iSEE), a non-governmental organisation.
“The library aims to provide a safe reading and teachingspace and sources for autistic kids and youths,” said Hong.
Many children with autism in Ho Chi Minh City and surroundinglocalities come to the library to learn, have fun, make friends and developsocial skills, particularly during weekends.
Books and tools published by experts are available in the WADlibrary to help parents take better care of their autistic children, accordingto Hong.
WAD plans to organise more activities to raise publicawareness of autism, particularly during national holidays.
It will host another screening of films on autism in August andproduce short clips featuring the daily difficulties, emotions and talents ofautistic people.
Traditionalmedicine helps
Vietnam is among the pioneers in the world touse traditional medicine as a therapeutic method for those in the autismspectrum.
“Traditional medicine is a new approach to treating childrenwith autism,” said Dr. Ngo Thi Van Lanh, Vice Head of the Autism Department ofthe Hanoi-based National Hospital of Acupuncture.
Dr Ngo Thi Van Lanh Vice Head of the Autism Department of the National Hospital of Acupuncture (Source: Phuong Vu/VNA)Associate Professor, Dr. Nghiem Huu Thanh, former Director of the hospital had made every effort and done huge researches to apply accupuncture in autism treatment during his tenure.
The hospital has offered acupuncture,aqua-acupuncture and electro-acupuncture to treat more than 2,000 childrenwith autism since 2012, according to Lanh.
Currently, nearly 100 autistic children are receiving thetreatment there.
The hospital survey showed more than 60 percent of treatedchildren could re-integrate into the community and 25 percent could attendmainstream schools.
Autism is a developmental disorder characterisedby difficulties in social communication, social interaction, and restricted orrepetitive patterns of behaviours and interests.
Children with autism usuallyhave poor eye contact and weak response to colours, light, and guestures orverbal communication.
“Children with autism have difficulty understanding others’emotions, limited interest in the surroundings and like to play with the sametoy repeatedly,” said Lanh.
“Parents should have their children diagnosed with autismtreated before the age of three as it is the prime time to intervene.”
The National Hospital of Acupuncture has transferred thetechnology for around thirties provincial hospitals and most recently, the Traditional Medicine Institute in Ho Chi Minh City.
Joint efforts to assistpeople with autism
Phong, three and a half years old, in Hanoi, has undergonetreatment at the National Hospital of Acupuncture for six months.
“Phong was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old. Hecouldn’t speak at three,” Phong’s mother said.
Phong’s treatment fee is totally covered by health insurance.
Four-year-old Tuan, in Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan district, is onrevisit treatment after one year of active treatment in acupuncture,aqua-acupuncture and communication skills education at the hospital.
“Tuan, born with autism, could not talk, chew food, and express his needs untilthree.”
“After one year of treatment at the hospital, hecan eat, chew food and play with friends just like a normal child,” Tuan’smother said.
Tuan’s family is not worried about his hospitalfee as it is covered by health insurance.
Autism has been included in the social policyfor people with disabilities.
Children with autism, certified by competentbodies are entitled to monthly social aid of between 300,000 – 800,000 VND(13-35 USD).
Autism treatment for children aged below six at public healthcare facilities nationwide is paid for by the social security agency.
The National Fund for VietnameseChildren under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, has just launched a project to enhance public awareness of children with autism, whichis expected to benefit about 4,000 Vietnamese children suffering from thedisorder over the next five years.
“The project aims to enhance public awareness and encouragethe community to join hands in supporting autistic children, while laying thefoundation to formulate a policy regarding the issue,” said Hoang Van Tien,Director of the Fund.
Under the project, a book on autism will be published, whileinformation on the disorder will be provided to 10,000 parents, and assistanceoffered to 10,000 teachers and social workers responsible for autisticchildren.-VNA
