The Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioral & Communication Difficulties (BSCBCD) is hosting a conference aimed at creating greater awareness on autistic disorders.

The second international conference on autism is being held on the theme ‘Untangle Autism’ at the Sheraton Hotel, Bahrain from April 2 to 4.

The conference is bringing together educators, researchers, service providers and practitioners, people with an autism disorder, families and health care providers from around the globe.

The event is sponsored by the Global Banking Corporation (GBCORP), as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative.

“We are truly grateful to GBCORP for their support for this conference and also their contribution towards developing the infrastructure needs for the children,” said Sumaya Hussain, vice president of the BSCBCD.

“Autistic children and their parents face greater challenges than other specially-abled children. These children need to be treated with greater understanding, patience and intelligence,” Hussain added.

“Though the disorder has shown high incidence in the Middle East, autism is not easily understood or rightly diagnosed in many cases. The demand for research and assistance for this particular disorder has risen sharply. GBCORP’s support will go a long way in generating awareness about the work done by the Society and also help to address the challenges we face.”

Today, 1 in 150 individuals are diagnosed with autism, making it more common than paediatric cancer and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls.

Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines.

Symptoms can range from very mild to severe. Most children with autism lack social support, meaningful relationships, future employment opportunities or self determination.

Untangle Autism aims to inspire participants by providing opportunities to build relationships, explore intervention strategies, learn about new research developments and celebrate experiences and achievements and raise awareness about autism spectrum disorders. – TradeArabia News Service