STAFF REPORTER
Muscat, April 2
The National Autism Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Social Development, celebrated World Autism Awareness Day on Tuesday at its headquarters in Seeb. The event featured a lecture, recreational workshops, and competitions for children.
The event featured a lecture by Arwa al Tawala, an expert at the center, entitled 'Available Therapeutic Interventions vs. Evidence-Based Therapeutic Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder.' She mentioned the disorders associated with autism spectrum disorder, such as anxiety, epilepsy, sleep disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, gastrointestinal disorders, intellectual disability, obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Following that, the event included several scientific and recreational workshops, such as the 'My Child's Advantages' workshop, the 'Child's Board' workshop, the 'Request Board' workshop, and the 'My Child's Personality Aspects Carry Hope' workshop, as well as colouring pottery and making gift boxes. These workshops aim to enhance the understanding of families and those around them of the needs and capabilities of children with autism spectrum disorder and to exploit the strengths to overcome the child's needs, reduce behavioral problems resulting from poor communication, and find an effective means of communication between the family and the child. It also aims to enhance the family's understanding of autism spectrum disorder from all four aspects of personality: social, psychological, mental, physical, and health, and to raise awareness among families of understanding and perceiving their child's behaviors and dealing with them correctly. It also aims at enhancing the family's awareness of the importance of using art as an activity in developing skills for the child with autism spectrum disorder, such as fine motor skills, enhancing focus and attention, and a means of self-expression for child, and the realization of parents that when strengths are exploited, identifying the needs of their child is a gift for them, in addition to raising awareness among parents that many gifts and talents within autism spectrum disorder can be exploited to develop the child's abilities.
On the importance of this celebration, Hussein bin Ali al Kalbani, a vocational trainer at the center and presenter of the pottery coloring workshop, said that the importance of this day lies in highlighting the autism spectrum disorder group and the need to develop research and services provided to people with disabilities. The choice of the logo mixed with the colors of the spectrum was included as the logo of the autism spectrum disorder to express the contrast and difference between those with the disorder. Celebrating this day also leaves a positive impact on the souls of children with disabilities, which is represented by their feeling that the world and those around them provide all kinds of services and care for them and celebrate them annually as talented models who have abilities if they are employed according to scientific principles.
Hanin bint Ali al Lawati, a handicrafts trainer at the center and presenter of the gift box-making workshop, said: "This day revolves around raising awareness among all segments of society about the existence of a disorder that affects some children known as autism spectrum disorder. We always strive, through celebrating this day, to highlight the importance of holding activities that contribute to instilling positive feelings in the souls of pure spirits, and our presence with them gives them hope and happiness. "
Celebrating with them gives them hope and happiness, in addition to a feeling of encouragement and support from members of society. The importance of the 'Making Gift Boxes' workshop lies in defining the logo of autism spectrum disorder and its meanings. It is formed by different colors that have their connotations, where blue symbolises calmness, green natural life, and yellow positive feelings. The composition of the logo represents the commonalities between cases of autism spectrum disorder and their neurotypical counterparts.
Ghaida bint Abdullah Al Farsi, a handicrafts trainer at the center and presenter of the 'My Child's Advantages' workshop, explained that the importance of this day lies in its adoption by the United Nations to highlight these groups and the need to work on more research efforts and services provided to them, to empower and integrate them into society.
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