Local and international speech and language experts, and families, will gather here on Feb. 20 and 21 to discuss the latest treatments to help autistic children receive effective education at an early age. The fifth Annual Autism Around the World Conference takes place at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Academic Medical Center in Dubai Healthcare City.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Hibah Shata, managing director and co-founder of the Child Early Intervention Medical Center, said that experts in speech and language pathology from the US and professionals in the field of special education will come together at the event.
Participants will discuss topics essential for successful communication and educational support planning, specifically intervention in preschool and school settings.
The conference theme "Communication and Language Development for Individuals Affected with Autism Spectrum Disorders" will provide insights into how lifelong developmental disability affects communication and social interaction.
According to statistics from Autism Speaks, a global organization involved in fundraising, science, and advocacy efforts, one out of 88 children born today will be diagnosed with autism by the time they are eight years old. This means early intervention and planning is critical to help more children learn and integrate into mainstream schools.
“We believe that every child has the right to mainstream education and as leaders in inclusion, we have successfully managed to mainstream around 70 percent of the children in our center,” said Shata.
K.T. Abdurabb - Arab News
