TRA hosts awareness lecture in its Abu Dhabi office

The aim of the event is to increase people's awareness about autism, a lifelong condition affecting neural development characterized by impaired social interaction, communication, restricted and repetitive behavior.

Children may suffer from mild, moderate or severe autism. The medical world is still struggling to fully understand this condition which first appeared in the early 1900s.

Statistics indicate that every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with autism in the UAE and one out of every 110 children is autistic. This pervasive disorder affects tens of millions worldwide.

"World Autism Awareness Day is a global push for change and this is precisely why we have joined the international community to help generate awareness about Autism," said H.E. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA Director General.

"The UAE encourages autistic individuals, and has therefore put in place several internationally accredited centres that help them and their families successfully integrate into the community. The TRA is committed to supporting the efforts led by our leadership in creating wider awareness on Autism while caring for the communities we live in," he added.

The 'Autism Awareness Lecture' took place in the TRA's Headquarters in Abu Dhabi where many employees from across the organization attended. The lecture discussed the various types of Autism, the symptoms and the best ways to deal with it. It emphasized the need to help autistic individuals lead full, meaningful and productive lives.