Autism unravelled at Goregaon mall

Hollywood flicks like I’m Sam, Forest Gump and Rain Man have characters suffering from autism. Hindi cinema has recently popularised them in the recent release My Name is Khan which showed the central character having Asperger’s syndrome. But there isn’t much awareness about this disorder despite its high prevalence in India.  

In recent years, the incidence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has gone up significantly. In India, it is estimated that at least 2 in 300 children suffer from the condition. In a country of over a billion people, this statistic is alarming.

A registered public trust Sopan, which started in 2002, is creating awareness. The organisation was setup by parents whose children suffer from autistic disorders. Sopan members realise the role of stakeholders in development of facilities for diagnosis, intervention, training and employment of children and adults with ASD.

Since World Autism Awareness Day, is being celebrated today a community awareness campaign is being organised from 12pm till 8 pm. The campaign will be held at the Oberoi Mall, Goregaon East. The mall is a popular destination for a large number of shoppers and cinema-goers. “Our aim is to spread awareness about autism,” Shobha Srivastava, trustee, Sopan trust.

She added, “The public don’t have much knowledge about the disease. The incidence of autism is rising so it is important to inform the public about it, so that these children can get medical assistance. Awareness about the condition can also reduce the prevalence rate.”

They hope to generate an interest in autism through distribution of informative material, enacting skits about issues, display of articles made by them. People will also get an opportunity to interact with them in person, in addition to a number of activities to garner public curiosity. Informative brochures and leaflets will provide basic information about autism as a condition, where and how it can be diagnosed and how a family with an autistic member can be provided assistance. “We keep supporting social awareness initiatives. In the past, we were associated with the eco-friendly initiative, where Ganeshas were made out of paper mash. We also had a green theme for Christmas where we created a green Santa Claus. The mall hosted an exhibition of handcrafted ice sculptures of animal species to support awareness on global warming and its effects on the environment,” said Shibu Philips, business head, Oberoi Mall.

He added, “We hope to keep supporting social awareness events that contribute to the building of a better future, so that the society and next generation lead a better life.”

Organisers feel awareness can help combat the problem. “There is growing awareness among stakeholders, however there has to be awareness among government officials, policy planners and communities. In the absence of understanding, persons with autism, often go without adequate diagnosis and training. Hence they are deprived of their right to lead a life with dignity,” added Shobha Srivastava.

Samarpan Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a service run by Sopan. Samarpan, a school and training facility, offers a variety of services to children and adults with ASD.