Kreative Kinder Haus, an inclusive school network dedicated to providing educational, as well as non-educational support to differently-abled children in Islamabad, marked the celebration of Autism Awareness Month at their flagship branch this week.
Autism Spectrum Disorder was a neurological and developmental disorder that can impact people’s behavior, communication and/or motor skills. According to the United States Government’s Center for Disease Control & Prevention – it was estimated that 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with varied stages of ASD in their lives. Pakistan does not have any official data which compiles or showcases statistics related to the disorder.
Kreative Kinder Haus’s Founder & Director, Sabeen Bilal, said: “Autism Spectrum Disorder is one of the several developmental challenges that a lot of our children in Pakistan continue to face undiagnosed. In a country like ours, where we continue to believe that our children’s generation is the one that will change the future of Pakistan, we – as a society- have shown very little signs of inclusion and understanding of each child’s uniqueness and special gifts. At KKH, we are trying to take that step by providing specialised services such as speech therapy, behavior therapy and occupational therapy, aside from running an all-inclusive preschool education system – tailored to each child’s specific needs. It is now time for all of us, as one society, to come out and celebrate children who are differently abled, instead of locking them within the 4 walls of our houses.
