Autism is a Gift
Helping the Underprivileged Community
According to Autism Society of America (2016), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others and also well define as “spectrum condition” that affects the person’s behavior. Normally, this disorder happens during childhood. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDD) (2014) claim that, about 1 percent of the world population has autism spectrum disorder. However, currently in Malaysia, there is no epidemiological data available on the prevalence of autism in Malaysia. But, a smaller scale study by the Ministry of Health on children between the ages 18 to 26 months showed a rate of 1.6 in 1000 children, or approximately 1 in 62512 (MOH,CPG: Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adolescents, 2014). Thus, in order to improve the outcomes of this disorder, awareness among parents should be increased. Besides, early diagnosis/intervention and access to appropriate services/supports should be done (Autism Society of America, 2016).In this program, we would like to cooperate with occupational therapy’s (OT) students from UiTM Puncak Alam, a Non – Governmental Organization Akademi Autism Insani and Association of Muslim Intelctual Generation (AMILIN). The target group participation in this program is parents with autistic children whom registered under Akademi Autism Insani and UiTM students. There are about 15 students will be handling this program. Five facilitators from ‘Persatuan Islam Al-Falah’, five from AMILIN and another five facilitators from UiTM Puncak Alam students.
Overview of Issue / Background
According to Autism Society of America (2016), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others and also well define as “spectrum condition” that affects the person’s behavior. Normally, this disorder happens during childhood. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDD) (2014) claim that, about 1 percent of the world population has autism spectrum disorder. However, currently in Malaysia, there is no epidemiological data available on the prevalence of autism in Malaysia. But, a smaller scale study by the Ministry of Health on children between the ages 18 to 26 months showed a rate of 1.6 in 1000 children, or approximately 1 in 62512 (MOH,CPG: Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adolescents, 2014). Thus, in order to improve the outcomes of this disorder, awareness among parents should be increased. Besides, early diagnosis/intervention and access to appropriate services/supports should be done (Autism Society of America, 2016).
In this program, we would like to cooperate with occupational therapy’s (OT) students from UiTM Puncak Alam, a Non – Governmental Organization Akademi Autism Insani and Association of Muslim Intelctual Generation (AMILIN). The target group participation in this program is parents with autistic children whom registered under Akademi Autism Insani and UiTM students. There are about 15 students will be handling this program. Five facilitators from ‘Persatuan Islam Al-Falah’, five from AMILIN and another five facilitators from UiTM Puncak Alam students.
Project Objectives (Vision & Mission)
General objective:
- To improve the quality of life of autistic individuals and families living with autism by helping them to be treated with the highest level of dignity, living in a society in which their talents and skills to be appreciated and valued.
Specific objectives:
- To create awareness among parents about the importance of early treatment in children with autism in order to prevent further complication.
- To increase awareness among university students about autism individual by providing knowledge and get them involved with autism children.
- To give financial support to autism foundation by collecting donation from society.
Project Details (Activities and Tasks)
This program will be held 2 sessions
1 st session will be indoor activities :
Activity 1: Talk “The Importance of Early Treatment in Autistic Children and Ways in Dealing with them”
- Speaker: Final year student from Occupational Therapy course, UiTM Puncak Alam will give a speech about autism.
- Duration : 45 minutes Talk, 15 minutes Q&A
- Objectives: To increase knowledge and awareness about autism among participants.
Activity 2: Sharing moment with parents who have autistic children.
- Method 1: Parents sit together in a circle and share their moments in dealing with autistic children. They may exchange opinions and knowledge in improving their skills in handling autistic children.
- Method 2: Invite a speaker among parents who had already successfully raised up an autistic child as a motivation/ mentor. (also can be in a forum way)
2 nd session outdoor activities :
Activity 1: Awareness campaign
- Parents and participants will perform an awareness campaign at street. Autistic children will also get involved with this campaign.
- Objectives: to increase the awareness among our society about autistic children and to increase the confident level of parents whom having autistic children and also to encourage autistic children to be involve with society (increase their communication skill)
- Awareness campaign thru our social media will also be performed in order to increase the awareness, especially among UiTM students.
Activity 2: Fund Raising for Academy Autism Insani
- This fund rising will be held thru out this program and the money collected will be given to Academy Autism Insani in order to support their financial.
Increase the awareness about autism to public and recognize autistic to be accepted and valued in communities.
This program will give moral support to parents with autistic children on dealing with them and encourage parents to keep motivated in raising autistic children.
Donation will be defines as a foundation for autism foundation as according to a research by J Pediatr. (2014), “The cost of supporting an individual with an ASD and intellectual disability during his or her lifespan was $2.4 million in the United States and £1.5 million (US $2.2 million) in the United Kingdom. The cost of supporting an individual with an ASD without intellectual disability was $1.4 million in the United States and £0.92 million (US $1.4 million) in the United Kingdom. The largest cost components for children were special education services and parental productivity loss. During adulthood, residential care or supportive living accommodation and individual productivity loss contributed the highest costs. Medical costs were much higher for adults than for children.”
Expected Project Result & Outcomes
- Awareness among UiTM students and parents (participant) will be increased.
- Knowledge about autism will be increased among participants at least up to 70% measured by using pre and post questionnaire.
- A donation of at least RM
0% of RM1.00 Goal
Project Information
| University name | : | Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) |
| Project leader name | : | Muhammad Afiq Azizi bin Azman |
Section I
Autism is A Gift is a program enlightens the autistic kids to be the same level as a normal kid. Throughout this program, we can see every autistic kid has their own specialty different from others. It is interesting when we found that their potential is unlike others ordinary person. That is why we named the program as ‘Autism Is a Gift’.
In this program, we are focusing on how to improve the quality of life of autistic individuals and families living with autism by helping them to be treated with the highest level of dignity, living in a society in which their talents and skills to be appreciated and valued. The objective for this program is to create awareness among parents about the importance of early treatment in children with autism in order to prevent further complication.
In this program, me and my friends from al-Falah Club cooperate with Occupational Therapy’s (OT) students from UiTM Puncak Alam, and Association of Muslim Intellectual Generation (AMILIN). The target group of participants for this program is privilege parents from poor family with autistic children who went to Akademi Autism INSANI or their relative. They are about 20 families participate in this program. 15 students handling this program which consist of five facilitators from ‘Persatuan Islam Al-Falah’, five from AMILIN and another five facilitators from UiTM Puncak Alam students.
In order to maximize the benefit for the community, we have launch crowd donation. We also do some business by selling biscuits. It is new experience for us especially in running the business to collect the donation.
We faced many challenges in order to make this program went well as planned. The program was held in two sessions, first session will be indoor and outdoor activities at Akademi Autisme INSANI, second session will be campaign at SMK Puncak Alam. Unfortunately, one of Akademi’s staff had involved in an accident. Thus, we need to bring forward the program to another suitable date.
Besides that, we had to cancel the program at SMK Puncak Alam due to their principal need to be transfer immediately to another school. If we want to execute the program to another school, it takes a long time to be confirmed, and this will disturb our plan. So we decide to do the campaign at Setia Alam City Mall. We do the awareness campaign in front of the mall and distribute the pamphlet to public.
Although the challenges are quite hard for me to handle, but I have a team that always give me a new idea and positive vibes to complete this program successful. Ustaz Zaki as our advisor for this program always help me how manage this team very well. En Fakhri and Kak Sherry as a staff from Akademi Autisme INSANI without any complained keep going help me with my team to ensure this program will become the most precious experience that we will occur.
We ensure that the parent has learned a lot about how to interact with their autistic kids in their home. Most of the parent said to me that they have learn many thing regarding to handling their kids. They also has been teach how to do a correct brushing technique in order to expend the sensory integration by using Wilbarger therapy brush, the academy is happy if the project can become their annually program. It is a great honor when they recognize our work and we will make this opportunity as our benefit.
This program has change the way I see about the world. Every single person in this world is born with a gift a specialty and the right of happiness. Throughout this project I have met a unique character and the art of understanding of human being. One of the autistic kids in this program can speak English fluently by learning through observation and imitative the conversation without attending any class according to what his mom said. We start to learn to appreciate what we have and deliver the happiness to those we are able to give.
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