From Autism to a Life of Possibilities

Although the financial amount may not cover the full cost of care, the policy has significance beyond money. It represents recognition of the additional responsibilities and expenses faced by families raising children with disabilities

Rahi is a young boy born into a middle-class family in Dhaka. When he was around two years old, his parents began noticing that he was not responding to the world around him in the same way as other children. He would not look when called by name, showed little eye contact, preferred to play alone and sometimes engaged in repetitive behaviours such as repeatedly waving his hands or doing the same activity over and over again.

At first, his parents thought these might simply be signs of delayed development. But as time passed and Rahi did not begin speaking, their concern grew.

At the age of three, his parents took him to a child psychologist. Following an assessment, they were told that Rahi showed characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The diagnosis came as a major shock to the family.

Yet, instead of giving in to despair, his parents followed professional advice and sought specialised support. Rahi was enrolled in a specialised school in Dhaka, where an Individualised Education Plan (IEP) was developed according to his needs.

His programme included speech and language therapy to improve communication, occupational therapy to develop fine motor and daily living skills, behavioural interventions to support social interaction and reduce behaviours that interfered with learning, and group activities to help him interact with other children.

His parents also participated in counselling sessions. They learned that supporting an autistic child requires patience, consistency and an understanding of the child's individual strengths and needs.

The first few months were not easy. Rahi's progress was slow. But his teachers and therapists soon discovered something remarkable: he had an extraordinary interest in numbers and patterns. He could memorise calendar dates and solve mathematical puzzles with surprising ease.

Instead of treating this interest as something unusual, his teachers used it as a strength. They introduced more mathematics-based activities into his learning.

Gradually, Rahi began to speak. First came individual words, followed by simple sentences. By the age of five, he was able to engage in basic conversations with his teachers.

His parents also began taking him to a nearby playground to help develop his social skills. Initially, he showed little interest in playing with other children. But they never forced him. They allowed him to participate at his own pace and gradually helped him become comfortable in social situations.

Today, Rahi is 10 years old and attends a mainstream school, although he still requires some additional support. He has demonstrated exceptional ability in mathematics and has already won prizes in school mathematics competitions.

He still feels uncomfortable in certain social situations, but he has friends and communicates naturally with his family.

His parents say they never imagined that Rahi would come this far. In their view, early identification, appropriate intervention, education and, above all, patience played a crucial role in his progress.

Rahi's story is more than a family's journey. It is a reminder that autism should not be viewed as a curse or the end of a child's potential. With timely support, appropriate education, therapy and an understanding family environment, many autistic children can develop their abilities and participate meaningfully in society.

Understanding Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, social interaction, behaviour and patterns of interest. Its characteristics generally become noticeable during early childhood.

Autism is described as a spectrum because its characteristics and the level of support required vary greatly from one person to another. Some autistic people can live relatively independently, while others may require substantial and lifelong support.

Recognising these differences is important. There is no single approach that works equally well for every autistic child. Support should be tailored to each child's abilities, challenges and individual needs.

Recognising the Early Signs

Some signs of autism may become noticeable between 18 and 36 months of age. These can include limited eye contact, not responding consistently when called by name, difficulties with social interaction, delayed speech or language development, repetitive behaviours, unusually intense interests, and unusual sensitivity or lack of sensitivity to sounds, light, touch or textures.

However, the presence of one or two such behaviours does not necessarily mean that a child is autistic. Proper assessment by qualified professionals is essential.

Early identification can make a significant difference. Once a child's needs are recognised, appropriate educational, behavioural, communication and developmental support can begin.

BD's Growing Support System

Bangladesh has made significant progress in raising awareness about autism and developing institutional support for people with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Autism corners, specialised education and training programmes, and government and non-government initiatives have been introduced in different parts of the country. Specialised schools such as the 'Proyash' institutions established in cantonment areas also provide education and training for children with disabilities.

The Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013, and the Neuro-Developmental Disability Protection Trust provide important institutional and legal frameworks for protecting the rights of people with disabilities.

However, major challenges remain.

Awareness is still relatively limited in many rural communities. Some parents may interpret developmental differences as simple childhood behaviour or delayed maturity, resulting in delays in seeking professional assessment and support.

Expanding awareness at the community level is therefore essential.

Early Intervention Matters

There is no single medicine that can cure autism. However, a range of interventions—including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, behavioural interventions, specialised education and social-skills training—can help children develop communication, learning and daily living skills.

The objective should not be to force every autistic child to behave exactly like other children. Rather, the focus should be on helping each child communicate, learn, become as independent as possible and participate meaningfully in family and community life.

The Mother and Family Matter

Parents play a central role in the development of an autistic child. Mothers, in particular, are often among the first to notice developmental differences because of their close involvement in the child's daily life.

With appropriate training, parents can reinforce communication, social and daily living skills at home. Patience, affection and positive interaction can help build a child's confidence.

At the same time, parents themselves need support. Caring for a child with additional developmental needs can be demanding, and access to counselling, peer support and reliable information can make a significant difference to family wellbeing.

Families should never be made to feel ashamed of having an autistic child. Instead, they should be supported and empowered.

Disability Allowance: A Positive Step

The proposed ninth national pay scale includes an important new provision concerning allowances for government employees who have children with disabilities. Under the proposal, an eligible government employee would receive Tk3,000 per month for each child with a disability.

Although the financial amount may not cover the full cost of care, the policy has significance beyond money. It represents recognition of the additional responsibilities and expenses faced by families raising children with disabilities.

Such measures can strengthen social protection and send an important message that families caring for children with disabilities deserve institutional support.

Stronger Government-NGO Coordination Needed

Government agencies and voluntary organisations need to work more closely to expand autism-related services. Training, research, data collection, rehabilitation, specialised education and family support all require coordinated action.

The Ministry of Social Welfare and organisations working under the national social welfare framework can play a greater role in strengthening partnerships with voluntary organisations and service providers.

But institutional support alone is not enough.

Society's attitude must also change.

Autistic children do not need pity. They need opportunity, dignity, acceptance and appropriate support.

From Pity to Potential

Rahi's journey demonstrates what can happen when a child's difficulties are recognised early and his strengths are nurtured with patience.

One child may excel at mathematics. Another may have exceptional abilities in music, art, technology or another field. The responsibility of families, educators and society is to identify those strengths and create opportunities for them to flourish.

Bangladesh has made considerable progress in autism awareness and service delivery, but much more remains to be done. Greater investment is needed in early screening and assessment, affordable therapy, inclusive education, trained professionals, research, family counselling and community-based support.

The ultimate goal should not simply be to make autistic children fit into a predetermined definition of a 'normal' life. The goal should be to build an inclusive society in which every person can live with dignity and develop his or her abilities to the fullest possible extent.

Rahi's story reminds us that autism does not define the limits of a child's future.

With timely identification, appropriate support, patient families and an inclusive society, children like Rahi can move beyond the barriers they face and discover their own paths to a life of possibilities.

The author is a columnist, policy analyst and Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Social Welfare.