GUJRANWALA: An autism awareness seminar was held at a local hotel to raise awareness among teachers, parents and doctors about different neurological and learning disabilities besides different disorders such as the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children.
Opening the seminar, Autism Spectrum Disorder Welfare Trust (ASDWT) Chairperson Rukhsana Shah said that parents must accept their physically or mentally challenged children and put in maximum efforts to improve the quality of their lives.
The one-day seminar was organised by ASDWT, a project of Mahvash & Jahangir Siddiqui Foundation, in collaboration Punjab Welfare Trust for the Disabled. Around 100 teachers, doctors, parents and clinical psychologists attended the seminar where they were briefed in detail about the symptoms of different learning disorders and methods of their management.
Speakers educated the participants about the symptoms of autism in children which included difficulty in mixing with other kids, inappropriate behavior, no fear of danger, little or no eye contact, repetitive and ritualistic behaviors, apparent insensitivity to pain, inappropriate attachment with objects and difficulty in expressing needs.
Senior Clinical Psychologist Farah Amanat, on the occasion, said that symptoms of SLD became visible in children at a very early age but parents went into self-denial due to lack of awareness. She gave a detailed presentation to the participants about the management of dyslexia in these children.
Later, Clinical Psychologist Sidra Ashiq also briefed the participants about another common disorder in children, ADHD. The participants engaged in detailed discussions with the speakers and the seminar was followed by a lunch.