The International Autism Conference: An Opportunity to Change the Lives of Millions of Individuals with Autism Around the World
The 12th International Conference on the Latest Developments in Autism Research: Challenges and Solutions kicked off on April 27th, organized by the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination in collaboration with the Emirates Scholar Research Center for Research and Studies, ADNOC, and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, with the support of Lotus Holistic Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi Energy Center.
In his opening speech, His Excellency Abdullah Abdulali Al-Hamidan, Secretary-General of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, announced the launch of the International Journal on Autism Issues and Solutions, the first of its kind in the region. The journal aims to address important challenges faced by individuals with autism, serving as a scientific platform for researchers, physicians, and experts to exchange innovative insights, innovative solutions, and the latest developments in autism.
Over four days, nearly 20 sessions, 41 specialized workshops, 91 lectures, and numerous dialogues with parents and decision-makers were held, featuring over 100 speakers from more than 20 countries specialized in behavioral modification, biomedical advancements, and updates. This significantly contributed to raising awareness and knowledge among all attendees and participants, undoubtedly enhancing the level of services provided to individuals with autism spectrum disorder, their families, and caregivers.
The conference concluded its activities on April 30th, reaching some outputs and recommendations, with various institutions committing to work on them through the development of a comprehensive action plan for implementation.
The recommendations included the following:
First: The conference called for conducting a survey study to identify cases of autism at the national level, disclosing multiple cases to benefit from them in studies and research. It also emphasized enhancing the use of artificial intelligence in educating children with autism as a means of diagnosis and education, intensifying awareness programs for all segments of society, and familiarizing newborns’ parents with early signs of autism symptoms.
Second: The necessity of protecting children with autism, guiding students on how to interact with this category, activating educational bodies to care for integrating autistic children with their peers in schools, providing supportive staff for educational integration of students with autism, especially accompanying teachers, and encouraging educational programs across various specialties to work with autistic children.
Third: Implementing preliminary survey forms for health units to identify the most critical cases of autism spectrum disorder and referring them for diagnosis and early intervention services, striving to establish representative research groups of various professionals willing to collaborate from different countries in the field of autism scientific research and forming teams with integrated specializations.
Fourth: The conference recommended the establishment of laboratories to conduct medical tests based on scientifically adopted and widely published vital indicators in high-impact scientific journals, emphasizing the importance of balanced healthy nutrition during pregnancy and the early years, avoiding cesarean section except in necessary cases.
Additionally, conference participants called for providing suitable employment opportunities for autistic students to demonstrate their competence according to labor market requirements, encouraging talents, hobbies, and promoting the work of outstanding individuals in various scientific, educational, sports, and artistic fields, as well as organizing workshops and training lectures for professionals in the autism field about mental health for parents and how to positively interact with children, empowering them to understand their needs.
