Parents, experts observe Autism Day in Delhi

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) An array of creative kids-specific activities were organised here on Sunday to mark World Autism Awareness Day.

The activities were aimed at clearing misconception about the disorder and create more public awareness.

Centre for Child and Adolescent Well Being (CCAW) in collaboration with Child Mental Health Foundation (CMHF) organised the day where children took part in several fun activities like "bouncy, whirlpool, horse-riding and paint-stamping" and also arranged for "a special sensory-zone section" for the delight of "hyposensitive and hypersensitive" children.

"We don't believe in competitions... rather excellence should be the primary factor for driving children towards greater achievements. Activities at Autism Carnival are made of merriment, compassion and appreciation," Shreya Tandon, a Child Psychologist working with CCAW, said in a statement.

This was the fifth such 'Autism Carnival' held by the organisers and was titled 'My Playground'.

A parent of a child with autism and also an expert therapist herself, Indu Chaswal, said: "Feel like you are sitting in a chair that has a broken leg, wearing heavily starched clothes and there are loud noises all around you. What if you do not have the words to express your predicament? This, precisely, can be a moment of life for a person with autism."

"Autism is a neurological disorder that appears in the first three years of life and there are a varying range of symptoms from mild social and communication difficulties to associated learning difficulties," the organisers explained in the statement.

They also emphasised that every child is unique in his or her own way and society must learn to appreciate that.

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