Putul calls for twin-track autism approach

Saima Hossain Putul, who spearheads autism campaign in Bangladesh, has called for developing “twin track approach” for the special children and their families. She said, while individuals and their families would need lifelong support and medicare, assistance should be provided to individuals who are higher functioning to approach medical, educational and life skills training. This will help them develop the skills and become employable and economically independent individuals while still receiving varying levels of social support, observed the expert. The Chair of the National Committee on Autism, Putul was speaking at a United Nations panel in New York on Bangladesh’s progress in autism awareness and actions taken in addressing their needs on Tuesday, a day before World Autism Awareness Day. Putul, the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said development disorders like autism are particularly challenging “not only because of the diversity in symptom presentation but also in their varying levels of functionality. “…we know that almost 50 percent of the spectrum have average intellectual abilities and therefore, if given the education they can be very successful,” she said. In Bangladesh, until recently parents used to hide children with such disorder. It is largely due to her efforts that the UN and WHO have endorsed two different resolutions on autism calling countries to work for the children suffering from the neurological disorder. In the panel she highlighted the steps Bangladesh had taken since July 2011 when Dhaka hosted first-ever international autism met, according to bdnews24.com.