Your child is slow. The mental capacity of the child is subnormal. The child suffers from attention deficit disorder. Your child is hyperactive.

These are just some of the inaccurate diagnoses of children who are autistic. Though the number of autistic children in the world is quite substantial, yet the levels of awareness about this disorder is still very low, especially in developing countries like India. It is estimated that 1 in 500 people suffer from autism in India*. This is a very large number indeed. But unfortunately, health practitioners often misdiagnose autistic children. This in turn leads to incorrect treatment options and subsequently the special needs of autistic children are ignored. Given the magnitude of the problem, there is an urgent need to create awareness about autism.

On December 3, which is observed as World Disability Day, Himalaya in partnership with Academy for Service Handicaps and Autism (ASHA), sponsored a Walkathon in the city of Bangalore to generate awareness about autism. The purpose of this campaign was to help people understand the disabilities suffered by people with autism, sensitize the larger society to their special needs and help them function to the best of their ability and lead more fulfilling lives.

A number of Himalaya employees participated in the Walkathon, marching along with groups of students, NGOs, sports people and other concerned citizens.

For Himalaya, this was an opportunity to educate people about autism. We are already partnering with NGOs involved in empowering autistic children through education and employment and we strongly believe that it is possible to integrate people with disabilities into mainstream society. This requires attitudinal changes which can be brought about through education, building adequate social support systems, special schools, trained healthcare professionals and providing employment opportunities.

This whole transformation path will need to begin with awareness building. Unless we are aware of a particular disability and the special needs of people living with it, we won’t be able to address their needs adequately.

Children at the Walkathon

Common perceptions about autistic children are that they are violent, they cannot form emotional bonds, the condition is curable, they do not possess the ability to learn, and it is caused by bad parenting. But these are myths. The reality of autism is very different. Autistic children can be taught, though the approach needs to be different; with effort, love and patience they can also develop emotional attachments. There may be no cure to autism as yet, but it is always possible to improve the quality of life of autistic people.

Himalaya’s efforts are directed at creating awareness about autism so that each of us can contribute towards making life a little better for those who are suffering from this disability.