12-20-2004, 09:25 PM
Early intervention can help cure autism which affects one in every 500 births in Sarawak, said former state health director Dr Yao Sik Chi.
He said autism was a disorder in children who had limited communication ability.
“Autism can be cured with an early intervention programme to help children develop their thinking and actions.
“Parents should be able to detect autistic symptoms in children as young as one year old,” he told reporters at a sensory integration seminar organised by the Sarawak Autistic Association here on Saturday.
Some 50 parents and volunteers taking care of children with autism, Down’s Syndrome, mental retardation and learning difficulties attended the seminar.
Dr Yao, who is also the association president, urged parents to approach the association if their children had speech or articulation difficulties, attention deficit disorder or eating problems.
He said the association was presently training 22 children aged between two and 14 at an educational centre at Jalan Bampfylde here.
“We want to train these children as early as possible, particularly in speaking because speech has to be very well-developed before the age of five. Otherwise, there will be little improvement later on,” he added.
A speaker at the seminar Wong Shyh Shyan urged parents to get their children involved in games and other learning activities.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fil...sec=nation
He said autism was a disorder in children who had limited communication ability.
“Autism can be cured with an early intervention programme to help children develop their thinking and actions.
“Parents should be able to detect autistic symptoms in children as young as one year old,” he told reporters at a sensory integration seminar organised by the Sarawak Autistic Association here on Saturday.
Some 50 parents and volunteers taking care of children with autism, Down’s Syndrome, mental retardation and learning difficulties attended the seminar.
Dr Yao, who is also the association president, urged parents to approach the association if their children had speech or articulation difficulties, attention deficit disorder or eating problems.
He said the association was presently training 22 children aged between two and 14 at an educational centre at Jalan Bampfylde here.
“We want to train these children as early as possible, particularly in speaking because speech has to be very well-developed before the age of five. Otherwise, there will be little improvement later on,” he added.
A speaker at the seminar Wong Shyh Shyan urged parents to get their children involved in games and other learning activities.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fil...sec=nation