Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month

Credit By: ZAHEER JAN

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• 06 Apr 2026

Special Needs Children still Waiting, Silent struggle Continues as Early Intervention & Inclusion Remain a Distant Dream

DIFFERENT MINDS EQUAL RIGHTS

Every child is unique, and every child deserves to have the same rights, opportunities and respect. Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month is celebrated in April. This year, the theme is Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value. This is not a time to say we care; it is a moment to think about what we can do to help, to take responsibility and to take action. We need to get everyone involved, like doctors, teachers, people who make decisions and society as a whole, to think about how we can support children with autism. We need to do more than just to know about autism; we need to include these children in everything we do, help them when they are young and support them as they grow up.

The difference between knowing about autism and accepting autism is very important. Often, people do not understand it. Knowing about autism just means we are aware that it exists. Accepting autism means we take action and we make changes. Accepting autism means we change how society thinks about autism. We need to accept that people with autism are different and that is okay. We should not try to change them, we should just accept them. Importantly, we need to respect the rights, dignity and individuality of every child and adult with autism.  

Autism is a condition that affects how people communicate, behave and interact with others. It is different for each person, so some people might have a lot of trouble with some things. They might be very good at other things. We have learned that if we help children with autism when they are young, they can do better in life. There are ways to help, like talking to a therapist, doing exercises to help with movement and learning how to behave. These things can really help children with autism communicate better, make friends, and be able to do things on their own.

We need to start helping these children when they are very young. The first five years of life are very important for brain development. If we wait too long to help, it can be very hard to catch up. So it is very important to find out if a child has autism when they are young and to make a plan to help them with early intervention therapies, such as Speech therapy, Holistic Rehabilitation Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Special Education.

Accepting autism is not something we say; it is something we have to do. We need to make sure that children with autism can get the help they need when they are young, so that they can go to school with other kids, and that their communities support them. We need to make sure that children with autism are not just allowed to be in these places. That they are truly included and valued. We want them to be able to grow up and be independent, to go to college, learn a job and have a life.

In some places, like Jammu and Kashmir, especially in rural areas, it is very hard for children with autism to get the help in early intervention and Inclusive education. There are no places that can help them with trained Rehab professionals to work with them. Many parents do not even try to get help because they are afraid of what other people will think. This is very sad because it means that children with autism are not getting the help they need when they are young.  

From what I have seen in my practice, many parents who are very educated, like doctors, engineers, and high-level government officers, don’t accept that their child has autism. They are afraid of what other people will think. This means that children with autism do not get the help they need when they are young, and this can cause problems later in life. Sometimes parents see if their child will get better on their own, but this just wastes time.  

In Jammu and Kashmir, many families who are not very rich are very open to getting help for their children with autism. They have a hard time getting the help they need because it is not available or it is too expensive. In some places, there are no therapists or special teachers to help children with autism. In rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir, early intervention services are lacking in both government and private centres, resulting in many autistic children missing out on timely support.

The education of these children is also a problem. Even though the government, as well as the RPWD Act 2016, says that schools should include children with autism, many schools do not want to admit them with other kids. They do not have the special education teachers or the right equipment, so children with autism are often left out. This is very sad because every child deserves to go to school and learn.

We need to make big changes to help children with autism. We need to make sure that they can get the help they need when they are young, that they can go to school, and that their communities support them. We need to train therapists and teachers, and we need to make sure that schools are ready with all the facilities to include children with autism.

It is also very important that we diagnose autism correctly. Sometimes parents start therapy for their child without getting a diagnosis. This is like trying to navigate a map without knowing where you are going. It does not work. We need to make sure that children get a diagnosis from a trained Clinical Psychologist before they start therapy.

Some parents do not even get a diagnosis for their child; they just start therapy. This is not good because it means that the therapy might not be right for the child. A diagnosis is like a roadmap; it helps us know what to do to help the child. It helps us set goals and make sure that the child gets the proper therapies. Government departments, along with organisations and child development centres, should conduct awareness workshops involving doctors, teachers, and paramedical staff to enhance their understanding of autism and emphasise the importance of early intervention.

To ensure effective early intervention and meaningful inclusive education for children with autism, the Jammu and Kashmir government’s health and education department must take urgent and concrete steps. Early intervention centres should be established in every district hospital across both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, equipped with qualified professionals and appropriate infrastructure. These centres can play a critical role in providing timely diagnosis, therapy, and support during the most crucial developmental years.

At the same time, the School Education Department must issue and strictly enforce policies requiring all private schools to accommodate children with autism in mainstream classrooms. Inclusion should not be optional; it is a fundamental right. Schools must be made accountable for creating supportive, inclusive environments with trained staff and necessary resources.

Such decisive actions will ensure that every child with autism receives timely early intervention and access to quality education. It is not just a policy need it is a moral responsibility to build an inclusive society where every child is allowed to learn, grow, and thrive with dignity.

As we think about Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, we need to remember that we are not just talking about knowing about autism; we are talking about accepting it. We need to work to make sure that children with autism get the help they need. We need to make sure that they are included in schools and in their communities.

Children with autism are not waiting for us to feel sorry for them; they are waiting for us to give them a chance. They are waiting for us to make sure that they can go to school, get the help they need and be part of their communities. We need to listen to them, we need to help them. We need to make sure that they have the same chances as every other child.

True acceptance goes beyond awareness; it requires action, empathy, and inclusion. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment. It is time to ensure that no child is left waiting, and no struggle remains unheard. When we do this, can we say that we truly accept Autism?

(The Author is a Sr. Pediatric Rehab Therapist & Social Worker (MSW) Working for Child & Disability Rights. Feedback: zaheerjan2019@gmail.com)