Autism is a developmental disorder that affects tens of millions of individuals globally. It is also referred to as the ‘Invisible Disability’ because there are usually no outwardly visible traits which makes the condition easily recognizable.
World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) which this year falls on the 2nd April,
is a concept originally created by the United Nations in 2007, with the
intention of raising awareness about Autism.
Every year, people with Autism, their families, and organisations who work
with them team up with international entities to raise awarenss about
Autism which is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how an
individual communicates with, and relates to other people. It also affects
how individuals make sense of the world around them.
Autism is a spectrum condition, which means that while all people with
autism share certain difficulties, the condition will affect them in different
ways. Statistics show that around 1% of the child population are on the
Autism Spectrum and with 4 out of 5 children diagnosed are boys. Whilst
there is no existing cure for autism, research has shown that early diagnosis
is important as this allows intervention to commence at a young age, giving
children the best chance to reach their full potential.
Inspire, the Foundation for Inclusion, has developed a range of specialised
programmes that respond to the needs of individuals on the autism
spectrum. These include the Early Years and Middle Years Structured Training
and Education Programmes (STEP) , Specialised Training for Lifestyle
Enhancement (STYLE) and Outreach which provide specialised intervention at
our centres, within the home and community. These specialised
programmes are are the only local programmes that are accredited with the
National Autistic Society’s Austim Accrediation Programme (UK). More
recently Inspire’s Multisensory and Therapeutic Horse Riding programmes
have also been accedited.
An important component of delivering a fully comprehensive service is
providing support to children/adolescents during extra curricular activities.
On a weekly basis, Inspire Early Years children visit and make use of the
therapeutic services at the Inspire Marsascala branch. Using facilities such as
the indoor hydrotherapeutic pool, the state of the art multi-sensory theatre
and therapeutic horseback riding provide the children with an opportunity to
develop numerous skills in a variety of environments – and have fun at the
same time!
Due to the diverse and the varying degrees of how autism impacts the
individual’s life, Inspire’s Outreach programme provides tailor made services
that are designed to meet the individual’s needs and addresses these
challenges. This is achieved by working closely with both student and
parents to develop and implement an individualised support plan. The
parents will be assisted to effectively address home-life issues through
realistic objectives and practical family-friendly strategies to reach the goals
that are often a challenge for their families. Through hands-on
demonstration, stakeholders are empowered with the necessary skills to
implement these strategies with the support and coaching of the Inspire
professionals.
As part of the international efforts to raise awareness The Inspire Foundation
will be organizing a Bake It Blue event on Facebook. Blue is the
international colour chosen to represent Autism awareness, so the public is
being invited to bake blue food, take photos of their creations and to post
them on Inspire’s Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/inspire.malta. “The
intention is to have people ask questions about our blue cookies, or blue
cupcakes,” says (inspire tutor name and title here), “so that we then get the
opportunity to explain some things about Autism and raise as much
awareness as possible.”
More information on our Autism Programmes can be obtained by contacting
Doreen Mercieca on 20928100/12 or via email on
Doreen.mercieca@inspire.org.mt