HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Teachers andtherapists from schools and hospitals around the country have resumed trainingin practical autism intervention skills.

They had started training last year as part of athree-year project, “Early Intervention for Children with Autism”, coordinatedby the Saigon Children’s Charity CIO (saigonchildren).

In its second year, theproject focuses on enabling key lecturers and teachers to work closely withparents of autistic children through practical coaching sessions. There arealso two workshops for parents on July 11 and 18.

With financial supportfrom Bleach Family for the first two years and the Lufthansa Help Alliance forthe final year, all trainees and parents are offered free training andworkshops by leading experts in the field.

It is also a valuableopportunity for parents, teachers and specialists to exchange informationwith senior clinical specialists from the UK on early treatment,phonetic therapy and behaviour management for children with autism.

Saigonchildren said in arelease that autism is a developmental disorder which affects language andcommunication and often leads autistic people to live isolated lives.

However, if autism isdiagnosed and addressed early, children can go on to develop their fullpotential and integrate into society.

In Ho Chi Minh City,reports from psychiatric clinics at paediatrics hospitals show that the numberof children diagnosed with autism has skyrocketed from 2,563 in 2012 to around200,000 last year.

Despite a growing demandfor appropriate intervention for children with autism, there has not beenconsistent guidance for teachers and parents on how to best support thesechildren, which is why, saigonchildren said, it has been working withinternational experts in autism and specialists from across Vietnam to developa new approach.

The three-year projectis a joint initiative with the National College of Education HCMC and OWLTherapy Centre.-VNS/VNA