UAE landmark to be lit up for autism day

Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) announced its support to the UAE’s latest autism campaign organised by Autism Awareness UAE to mark the annual worldwide initiative “Light it up Blue.” Some of the most famous landmarks such as Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the Empire State Building in New York and the Sydney Opera House will be lit up in blue during the 2012 edition of the commemorative day on Monday. As part of the global awareness campaign on autism, Dubai will also host its annual walkathon as an initiative of Autism Awareness UAE. ‘Walk for Autism 2012’ will be held on 21 April, featuring activities led by various healthcare organisations and inviting the participation of autistic children and their families. DHCC joined hands with the Child Early Intervention Medical Centre and Stepping Stones to drive the campaign’s objectives across communities in the UAE. “Light it up Blue” is part of a global concept by US-based Autism Speaks, a non-profit organisation that promotes research and awareness on autism. Launched three years ago, the global endeavour lights up iconic landmarks in blue on World Autism Day as a way of shedding light on the condition. Dr Ayesha Abdullah, managing director of Dubai Healthcare City, said: “We are pleased to join hands with the UAE’s leading autism centres in raising awareness on the condition. We believe that ‘Light it Up Blue’ will add to the Autism Awareness UAE campaign that aims to continuously engage the community and support parents and children affected by autism. It will also assist the efforts made to integrate autistic individuals into mainstream society.” In the Middle East, the number of autistic children is increasing at an alarming rate. Furthermore, despite numerous awareness campaigns, several parents face difficulties in coping with autistic children while experts on autism are calling for concerted community support to help create an inclusive society for those with the condition. According to experts, a child is diagnosed with autism every 20 minutes in the UAE and one out of every 110 children is autistic. Worldwide, the prevalence of autism is one to two for every 1,000 individuals. In general, modern diagnostic practice has identified a dramatic increase in the number of people with autism since the 1980s.     Dr Abdullah added: “Understanding the needs of an autistic child is just the beginning of their development. For parents, there are many other challenges that appear as the child gets older such as their behaviour, sibling interaction, finding a suitable school, health and hygiene, screenings, vaccinations and nutrition.” Dr Hibah Shata, managing director and co-founder of Child Early Intervention Centre, said: “It is important for the community to join hands to help raise awareness on signs of autism and underline the need for early detection, intervention and inclusion in mainstream schools.” “Very often, it gets overlooked that children on the autism spectrum disorder can learn with the right support and be active members of the community. Through ongoing initiatives such as Autism Awareness UAE, we can work towards giving equal opportunities to autistic children and help them achieve their maximum potential.”