Doha, April 02 (QNA) – Marking World Autism Awareness Day, which falls on April 2 every year, the Ministry of Social Development and Family organized on Sunday a panel of discussion on means of communicating with individuals with autism, in cooperation with Shafallah Center for people with disabilities, Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of Special Needs (QSRN), and Qatari Autism Society.
The panel of discussion, held at the Social Development Center and saw lectures by experts in that field, focused on promoting awareness and education about autism; exchanging experiences among parents, counselors, and psychologists; and promoting awareness about effective communication tools with individuals with autism.
The panel of discussion dealt with several axes, including signs and symptoms of autism, programs that help empower families of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, educational and therapeutic rehabilitation for children with autism, and symptoms that appear at an early age and those that appear in the social and professional fields. in addition, the panel discussed the communication disorder with individuals with autism and the various alternative means to communicate with them, as well as overall communication skills.
The panel also included tips and instructions for parents of children with autism, answering their inquiries and providing practical and successful solutions to the issues they face while dealing with individuals with autism.
Acting Director of the Community Care Department at the Ministry of Social Development and Family Reem Al Ajmi stressed the importance of that panel of discussion in exchanging experiences among specialists, counselors, and parents on ways to communicate with individuals with autism, given the significance of that matter in promoting their social interaction strategies.
She added that such events come to activate the competence of the Ministry’s Community Care Department to implement national strategies, plans, and policies related to individuals with disabilities. These events also aim to increase community awareness of social and family challenges, their impact, and ways to prevent them.
She pointed out that the Ministry of Social Development and Family is keen to organize various conferences, seminars, and workshops to discuss all issues related to individuals with disabilities within the framework of its interest in this important group of society.
(QNA)