Marking more than twenty years Of the opening of Sharjah Autism Center
In conjunction with the International Autism Day corresponding to April 2 of each year, and the passage of more than twenty years since the opening of the Sharjah Autism Center of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), the center organizes its annual informative campaign on autism spectrum disorder. The slogan of the campaign is “Transformation: Toward a Neuro-Inclusive World for All”
The campaign aims to raise community awareness of autism spectrum disorder, provide staff at the center with the latest practices used with people with autism spectrum disorder, and learn about methods of diagnosis and early detection of the disorder from a medical perspective.
The campaign also aims to identify medical tests that support the diagnosis process, associated disorders, disabilities similar to the disorder and the therapeutic drugs for it. This would raise the level of community culture towards autism spectrum disorder, strengthen partnership and cooperation with hospitals in the diagnosis process, and exchange experiences between centers and specialists.
The Statement of Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi
To mark this occasion, Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of SCHS, has confirmed that SCHS is the first institution to introduce a specialized service for people with autism spectrum disorder in the United Arab Emirates. That was during the academic year 1994-1995 through the establishment of a department attached to the Intellectual Development Institute (formerly), currently called "Al-Wafaa School for Capacity Development", which included 8 cases. In February 2002, SCHS established and inaugurated Sharjah Autism Center to provide specialized educational and therapeutic services suitable for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder and their families starting from the age of 5 years. The center also includes a special section for young people with autism spectrum disorder, which SCHS opened in 2007. It aims of continuing to develop and expand services and extend their scope to include adolescents and young people with autism spectrum disorder.
She added, "The developments in the field of autism spectrum disorder are many and we must keep abreast with it with continuous training. Activating the role of the family and society in this field, contributes greatly to achieving the goals of this year’s slogan, and highlighting the contributions of people with autism spectrum disorder in their homes, in their work, in the arts, and in every area of life".
The head of SCHS has pointed out that the center has been seeking, since its establishment, to spread a culture of community awareness of autism spectrum disorder, focus on integration and rights, face challenges that the society may not be aware of. It also works to improve the quality of life of people with autism spectrum disorder in line with showing the latent aspects of people with autism spectrum disorder, focusing on their abilities and capabilities, and the contributions that they can make in the future in various social aspects, and not only highlighting the therapeutic and educational side for them. SCHS also focus on integrating and supporting them, ensuring their participation and defending their rights.
Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Muhammad Al Qasimi thanked all the employees of the Sharjah Autism Center, wishing them further progress and prosperity. She hoped that the center would continue to provide support and distinguished services to people with autism spectrum disorder and to society in general.
Unique Shift
Dr. Siham Al-Humaimat, Director of the Sharjah Autism Center, said that the opening of the center more than twenty years ago constituted a unique shift in providing specialized services for people with autism spectrum disorder. It is a new addition to SCHS, which has been providing services to people with disabilities since 1979.
She added, "There are 47 teachers, psychologists, educational supervisors and administrators working at the Sharjah Autism Center, who have specialized degrees in the field of special education and psychology. They are trained according to the latest practices in the field of autism spectrum disorder".
The center has a capacity of 95 students divided into three departments, the main branch in Al Sharqan, the youth hostel section in Yarmouk, and classes for autism spectrum disorder in Al Ramla School, and Psychiatric and Nursing room. Sharjah Autism Center provides its services to all people with autism spectrum disorder from the age of 5 years to the age of 16 years.
She emphasized that the success of the center would not have been possible without the wise leadership and directives of Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of SCHS. Her Highness is very keen on direct follow-up of the work, the creation of new departments, and the inclusion of services that keep pace with best practices and contribute to upgrading the services provided to students from various disabilities.
She added, "Twenty years since the opening of the center represents a great achievement. During this period, the center provided a lot of services and support to children, families and the community. It contributed greatly to educating the community about the importance of understanding autism spectrum disorder and supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder".
Sharjah Autism Center is a leading center in the field of education and rehabilitation of children with autism spectrum disorder. It has contributed to changing the lives of many of them and enhancing their future. The center was able to provide them with an appropriate educational environment and develop integrated programs to meet their individual needs and improve their life capabilities. It also provided training and support to parents and specialists in this field.
Dr. Siham Al-Humaimat said, "As part of its campaign, which bears the slogan “Transformation: Toward a Neuro-Inclusive World for All”, the center organizes a series of informative activities for this celebration. It began on Thursday, April 6, with the exhibition (Twenty Years of Progress and Success). It displays the works of students with autism spectrum disorder, which the center organized in "Al Zahia Mall". Dr. Mohamed Youssef Al Hammadi, Assistant Professor at the College of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Sharjah, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Fine Arts Society, inaugurated the exhibition. Her Excellency Mona Abdul Karim Al Yafei, Director of SCHS, and a number of SCHS employees, and parents were present.
The exhibition included a group of art paintings drawn by a number of students of the center and the centers participating in the campaign, namely, the Emirates Center for Autism, the Al-Noor Center for Autism, the Masarat Center for Development and Empowerment affiliated to SCHS, and its branches in Dhaid, Kallba, and Khorfakhan. SCHS also honored a number of the center’s employees, who contributed to its development during the early years of its inception.
She added, "The activities will continue throughout April. SCHS is going to hold a dialogue session entitled "Diagnosis from a Medical-Educational Perspective", in partnership with the University of Sharjah Hospital. The center will also organize an exhibition of educational aids and a sports festival for students with the participation of several centers.
The Director of the Sharjah Autism Center expressed her great gratitude to the specialists and staff at the center who work tirelessly to provide care and support for people with autism spectrum disorder. She thanked them for their dedication and constant giving to improve the quality of life of these children and their parents. She wished the center further development and success in its career.
In turn, the guardian of the student, Rashid Salem Al Ali, said that her son joined the center when he was four years old in 2004. His condition improved a lot after joining the center in all respects such as language, behavior, following instructions, organizing his time and focus.
She added, "I would like to thank Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of SCHS, who always strives to find everything that helps in the rehabilitation of our children. I extend my thanks to the workers at the Sharjah Autism Center for the efforts made by the specialized professors in the field of autism spectrum disorder and their focus on strengthening and developing Rashid's skills and bringing him to what he is now”.
For her part, the guardian of the student, Hassan Abdul Rahman, has confirmed that her son joined the Sharjah Autism Center in 2018, and thanks to God and the continuous work of the Sharjah Autism Center with the parents, he made remarkable progress in language, physical, cognitive, life skills, fine and gross motor skills.
All the training focused on Hassan's strengths and building on them in developing his skills and abilities in all fields. “I extend my sincere thanks to the workers at the Sharjah Autism Center for their efforts, dedication and sincerity in their work," added the guardian of the student Hassan Abdul Rahman.