One government center to treat 200,000 children with autism

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[size=52]One government center to treat 200,000 children with autism[/size]

[size=45]Translation: Hamed Ahmed[/size]
[size=45]A government official expected that there will be 200,000 autistic children in Iraq, pointing out that one center has been allocated for treatment until the present time, indicating that this is not enough, expressing his hope to develop a large hospital similar to other countries.[/size]
[size=45]A report by (The National News), translated by (Al-Mada), stated that “the state of instability in Iraq and the lack of sufficient government support, cast a shadow over the situation of many families in the country with children with autism, forcing parents to search for treatment and special care. for their children to attend civil centers concerned with this matter, or to rely on themselves to follow up on these cases.”[/size]
[size=45]The report added, "The Director General of the National Governmental Autism Center, Doctor Hussein Al-Kaabi, stated that Iraq, as is the case with many other countries in the world, is witnessing an increase in autism cases."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Kaabi says, "Unfortunately, we do not have enough specialized governmental centers in Iraq to diagnose and treat autism. There are only private centers distributed in several governorates and without specialized doctors who can diagnose the disease."[/size]
[size=45]The report noted that "there are no official statistics, but Al-Kaabi estimates that there are 200,000 cases of autism in Iraq in a country of more than 40 million people."[/size]
[size=45]The report stressed, "The National Autism Center, which was established in 2018, is the only government center in Iraq, and it contains five doctors specializing in this disease."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Kaabi believes, "This is not enough. This center is the nucleus and the beginning of further expansion. We aspire to grow and have a large specialized hospital to keep pace with what other countries are doing in this field."[/size]
[size=45]The report confirms, "The center receives an average of 30 children per day, who are suspected of having autism, but most of them suffer from other problems."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Kaabi explained, "Only two to three percent of the cases that come to the center are diagnosed with autism. The second step is for the doctor to give the family a treatment plan to guide them on how to deal with the condition and train their children at home, because we do not have the capabilities and ability to treat them."[/size]
[size=45]The report stated, "The symptoms of autism spectrum disorders are a variety of conditions characterized by a certain degree of difficulty in interacting and socializing the patient with those around him."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "other features of autism are abnormal and atypical activities and behaviors, represented by the difficulty of moving from one activity to another, or focusing on details and abnormal reactions to sensations."[/size]
[size=45]The report spoke of the possibility that “symptoms may include repeated words and phrases, or excessive sensitivity to voice, and delays in speaking and learning are among the symptoms of autism as well.”[/size]
[size=45]And he quotes the World Health Organization that "one child out of every 100 children in the world is believed to have autism, and the causes of this disease are still unknown."[/size]
[size=45]The report continues, "The World Health Organization says that the available scientific evidence indicates that there are many possible factors that make a child more susceptible to autism, including environmental and genetic factors."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "treatment includes indirect follow-up of individual behavior or training parents to help develop and enhance the child's social skills."[/size]
[size=45]Shaima Al-Hashimi, 43, a mother of two children with autism, says that “the government’s neglect of this segment is not the only challenge it faces, but rather the negative society’s view of people with autism as well.”[/size]
[size=45]The report stated, "Al-Hashimi taught herself how to deal with and feed her children with autism, and also launched a page on autism in Iraq on the Instagram website and a page, Support autistic children in Iraq on Facebook."[/size]
[size=45]He continues, "These pages document the daily life of my two children, Al Hashemi, Aya and Muhammad, who have autism, and their creative skills, and they share these experiences and information with other families."[/size]
[size=45]"For many in our society, a child with autism is mentally retarded," Al-Hashemi spoke during an event last month to celebrate International Women's Day in Baghdad.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Hashemi added, according to the report, “Sometimes people scold me when my child does a strange behavior in front of other children, and they remove their children from him, and another section of people say that I do not have to spend a lot of money as long as they do not improve, and I feel disappointed many times.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Hashemi indicated, "I started reading a lot about monotheism, participating in workshops and applying some practices."[/size]
[size=45]The report stated, "Al-Hashimi plans to establish a non-profit organization to care for autistic children and those who suffer from other conditions."[/size]
[size=45]And he talked about the opening of "dozens of civil autism centers in Iraq, but many families say that they do not have the ability to pay the high expenses."[/size]
[size=45]The report quotes Abdul Rahman Attia, a doctor working in one of the private autism centers in Iraq, who estimated that 40 out of every 1,000 children in Iraq have symptoms of autism.[/size]
[size=45]Attia added, "Males make up the largest number of sufferers compared to females, and that for every four males with autism, one female suffers from autism."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "the treatment program is determined according to the level of the condition of the affected child and lasts from six months to more than a year."[/size]
[size=45]Attia added that "treatment costs range from 50,000 to 250,000 dinars per month, depending on the family's income, and treatment is free for orphans."[/size]
[size=45]About: The National News website[/size]
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