Abu Dhabi is understanding autism better

Sharifa Yateem psychologist and owner of Sharifa yateem centre for rehabilitation and autism centre (R) and Karen van Westhuizen (mother of an autistic son) with Glenn Knight. An autism and disabilityShow more

Seventy-five million people, or around one per cent of the world’s population, are thought to have some form of autism – a neurological condition that affects communication and social skills. The symptoms experienced by those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) vary dramatically, from discomfort around other people to total mutism.

As a result, the impact on daily life can vary, too. While those who experience extreme symptoms can find the condition debilitating, for many others it is a unique feature of life like any other. "I am different, not less", as an autistic professor of animal science at Colorado State University in the US phrases it.

The causes of autism remain a mystery, and treatment for those who need it remains a challenge for the health sector. But the real work for societies and governments is to get better at understanding what autistic people experience daily, and accommodating them accordingly. This means making the necessary policy changes – whether in health care, education, employment and social care – so that life becomes easier for them and their caregivers. It's why the UAE has a National Autism Policy which aims to improve the health and well-being of people with ASD.

In 2022, there were 4,561 registered cases of autism spectrum disorder in the Emirates. According to the Ministry of Community Development, 44 per cent of those were Emirati citizens. The UAE has over the years been working to make it easier for people who live with ASD and their families. Most recently, in Abu Dhabi's Shakhbout City, at the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, a virtual-reality experience developed by UK-based Training 2 Care – in a dark room where vision is distorted and sounds are amplified – lets people quite literally walk in the shoes of those with ASD. The free simulation that opened this week is a free learning tool to help anyone who wants to understand what it's really like to carry out simple tasks in an environment of sensory overloads.

Glenn Knight, the chief executive of Training 2 Care and the creator of the Autism Reality Experience speaks for countless families when he explains the impact of the simulation being immediate and helping build empathy. This is essential as all too often, people can forget that being on the autism spectrum does not necessarily preclude brilliance, as a few of the most well-known names in math, science, research and history can attest. A different neurological brain wiring can often be a creative asset.

Stephanie Hamilton, a mother in Dubai whose daughter has Down syndrome and autism told The National earlier this year: “Our children's diagnosis often comes with a sense of grief or despair. While raising a child with autism can be challenging, there are also many gifts that come with it, and I feel we don't celebrate these enough.”

We could do well to bear Ms Hamilton's view in mind as we gain a better understanding of ASD through technology-aided simulations, and as we progress towards a more inclusive society for all, regardless of where anyone sits on the spectrum.