TACKLING AN EPIDEMIC IN PAKISTAN

Autism Spectrum Disorder AwarenessBy Establishing ARCs & CDCs

ByDr. Saima Hussain IjazBehaviour Consultant

MCFD, British Columbia. Canada.

Need for this Initiative Loss of Essential Life Skills Achievement in a

rapidly growing sector, caused by lack of Awareness, Assessment and Learning Tools.

Minimal Issue Awareness and Initiative to Learn even amongst the most educated and resourceful medical communities.

Families suffering in isolation. Huge Social and Psychiatric Stigma.

Project GoalsUltimate goal: Establishing Autism Resource (ARC) and Child Development Centers (CDC)

connected to Teaching Hospitals of the major cities of Pakistan.

Achieved by:Creating awareness about the basic structure and mapping around the Karachi ARC,

attached to a medical center MAMC.

Establishing replicas utilizing the steps and knowledge that has already been effectively translated and using the existing infrastructure within teaching hospitals.

Creating awareness amongst the developmental physician/paediatricians and other child care specialist, about getting trained and provide front-line role in diagnosing/assessing the pre-schoolers , showing early delays or ‘red tag signs’.

Creating an opportunity for research and applied science will also be a plus point for the Pakistani Physician, Alums and Professors and then connecting with the support staff consisting of parents, teachers, social workers and therapists etc can be an adjunct to the basic medical service.

Some Facts Autism Spectrum Disorder : 1:120 kids

No Diagnostic and Rehabilitative means even in the major cities of Pakistan.

No understanding of early detection, sensory issues and home based interventions by child care specialists.

Lack of awareness and means of Learning for the Medical & Rehabilitation Teams

Lack of awareness and means of Learning for the Special Education and support staff teams.

Background Work Developed and Implemented Home based programs,

using ABBLS and trained parents via yearly workshops, one on one assessments and web conferences.

Worked on establishing ARCs with Trained Parental & Professional Support, first home based and then connecting with medical centers, schools and teaching hospitals, with future prospects of upgrading to CDCs.

Karachi Lahore Quetta Islamabad /Rawalpindi

Autism Resource Center Karachi @

Ma Ayesha Memorial Medical Center

Location Ma Ayesha Memorial Centre SNPA-22,block 7/8 near commercial area K.M.C.H.S off Tipu Sultan road, Karachi 021-4542685, 4541281

Autism Meetup Forum , June 2003. Professional/paraprofessional Meetings, since July 2005 Workshops since October 2005 ARC Founded in July 2006 One on one counselling setup, Sept. 2007

Have proudly served parents from all corners of Pakistan via forums and web.

By appointments locals and others who could travel to ARC Karachi.

Services Provided @ ARC Karachi

Open from 2pm to 4pm , everyday except Fridays .

One on one counselling by appointment, on Wednesdays only, with Mrs. Irum Rizwan, the educational supervisor.

Parent, professionals group meetings once a month .

Teaching Workshops open to all interested 2-3 times a year, in Karachi & Lahore since 2005 and at Rawalpindi and Quetta, this year.

A Resource Library with books, display of sensory toys, educational kits , CD rom and materials for an easy access with minimal photocopying charges.

Professional paid consultations from the neurologist, paediatricians, and therapists working at the adjoining MAMC.

Workshops 2008 Karachi & QuettaCourtesy MAMC Management & Dr. Sadrak Jalal

Workshops 2008 RawalpindiCourtesy RAMCAANA & Dr. Fareed Minhas

Autism Resource Center Islamabad

@ Step To Learn 489, Street # 106, I-8/4, Islamabad. Tel: 0514446086, 03005131154.

Open five days a week from Monday to Friday, 8am-1pm and 5pm-7pm.

Maj. Umair Director/ Educational Supervisor Mrs. Aayesha Umair, Speech and Language Therapist Mrs. Kiran Andleeb Tahir, Speech and Language Therapist

Services Provided:

1. Relevant books on the subject. (For reading and copying) 2. DVDs/CDs on the subject. (For reading and copying) 3. Meet ups. (Regularly on quarterly basis from Jan 2009, schedule will be given from time to time) 4. Counselling and guidance of parents. 5. Facilities of speech, behaviour, occupational and sensory therapy along with academic skills(paid). 6. Provision of structured home based programs for the children.

Autism Resource Center Islamabad @

Step To Learn School

Autism Resource Center Quetta@

Christian Children Hospital Quetta

Inaugurated on Dec. 13th, 2008. @ Christan Children Hospital, Quetta. Medical Supervisor Dr. Sadrak Jalal, Medical Director, Children Hospital

Quetta. Psychologist, Mrs. Shazia Alu u Din

Open 3 Days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturdays, from 10:45 am to 1:00 pm

Services Provided:1. Counselling and guidance for the parents.2. Reading and Copying of books on the relevant subject (Provided by ARC

Karachi, courteousy Mrs. Saira Salman & Mrs. Irum Rizwan).3. October Workshop , courteousy Dr. Sadrak and Mrs. Irum Rizwan.

Venue Requirements for Establishing an ARC

Space for the Center : 2 medium sized rooms

* A Resource /Study Room and a Play/Work Room.

Materials: Books, Educational CDs , DVDs, Teaching kits, Sensory Kits.

Appliances : Computer with a Printer, Scanner, Photo copier, phone line, Internet connection, TV, vhs/dvd player. Furniture: Shelves, Filing cabinets, desk, table, chairs

Carpet, cushions, play/work tables cubicles.

Open for approx. 8 – 10 hours/ wk., some hours in the morning and some in the evening/weekend.

Personnel Requirements for the Center

* Trained Parent Workers for providing once a week support services to other parents, teachers.

* A part time paid worker for the resource room management, accounting and filing needs.

*Voluntary/ selected learners (2-3) from medical college students, dept. of special education, therapists, like SLP, OT, PT. , psychologists.

* A half time paid worker, an educator or a therapist with good computer skills and who has trained and learned for 6 months at least and has proven enough skills.

Some Useful Links http://www.actcommunity.net/  http://autismsolutions.info/ http://maayesha.com/ http://autism.meetup.com/77/ http://www.autism-pakistan.org/ http://www.shelfari.com/o1518103380/sh

elf#firstBook=0&list=2&sort=dateadded

Initial and Annual Running Cost of an ARC

Material Cost : $5K

the original set has been placed under the parent supervision, and copied set of books and cds are being used by the members at different centers..

A new copied set costs about 35,000 rps....so 2 set a year can be replicated under $1K.

Running Cost and other materials for a year has been about $ 2 K and includes:

purchasing more materials in the form of books, cds, assessment tools, sensory play kits,.

appliances, furniture for the center. wages of a part time ARC supervisor/helper.

Objective Considerations:Please Join Us!

Supporting and stabilizing local ARCs with medical connections & funds....then further branching or connecting to medical centers and teaching hospitals in the same and other cities.

Interconnecting new ARCs with the parent (Karachi) one...and helping in continuing education via monthly web lectures, webcasts..and workshops during visits.

Over time building more aware medical teams...and setting foundations for CDCs (child developmental centers) as the number of aware, knowledgeable and trained professionals grow.

Our Goals for Karachi ARC 2009

Using web lectures and webcasts for teaching purposes and parent meetings.

Establishing a visual learning setup for building communication skills in preschoolers with the help of trained staff and Laureate Learning Computer System.

Building supportive connections between the main ARCs and the other branches.

Using web and annual conference for mission statements and raising awareness within the rehabilitative medical and special education communities.

Establishing connections at a teaching hospital for the raising awareness amongst physicians and students.

Establishing means of setup for early screening and diagnosis so early intervention strategies could be established at the teaching hospitals.

CMEs for Paediatricians, Family Practitioners,

Child Neurologist & Psychiatrists Early Sign Detection and Proper Guidance.

Collaborating with the trained parent groups.

Understanding and Implementing TEACCH. ABA, ABBLS, RPM & RDI based Programs.

Understanding the sensory overloads and neurological problems amongst ASDs that translate into delays and disorders if not tackled early on.

Collaborating efforts with Parents running ARCs, teachers, therapists and student groups for establishing Child Development Centers.

DuaaDear God, give us the courage & strength to :

help rise and reach out to the silently hurting families.

help and support them by imparting knowledge, skills and then joining hands to chain it to others.

understand and nurture our children in need and help ease their sufferings.

help these children and their families to learn and grow to the best of their potentials, with minimal stigma.

Ameen: