First-ever national symposium on autism launched
Vietnam’s first-ever national symposium and workshop on autism spectrum disorders organized by the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES), the U.S. Embassy, the Autism Speaks Organization and UNICEF Vietnam, was launched in the morning of March 12, 2013 in Hanoi.
The symposium titled "Care and education for children with autism in Vietnam: Practices and Prospects" was attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Nghia, Ms. Claire Pierangelo, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S Embassy Hanoi and Mr. Jesper Moller, UNICEF Acting Representative in Vietnam.
According to Prof. Dr. Phan Van Kha, Director General of VNIES, the national symposium aims at raising community awareness of autism spectrum disorders as well as creating a premise to establish a network of cooperation and coordination between international organizations and the Government of Vietnam, experts, teachers and parents, in order to develop feasible, effective and sustainable solutions for autism education.
Especially, Kha said the symposium would provide a forum for Government officials, special education professionals from the United States and Vietnam, therapists, teachers and parents to discuss the current issues on autism in Vietnam such as policies for autistic children, detection, diagnostic assessment, early intervention, support inclusive education in schools, along with some of the latest research on autism and autism education in Vietnam and in the world.
"These are essential issues in autism education for children but also are the challenges for the community," said Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Nghia, during her remarks at the event.
Deputy Minister Nghia affirmed the Government's efforts in taking several measures to facilitate conditions for people with disabilities in general and autistic children in particular. However, many people including officials, teachers and parents are not sufficiently equipped with autism knowledge and education.
"I hope the presence of the experts will help us to soon find the solutions,” said Ms. Nghia.
The symposium takes place from March 12 - 13, 2013, followed by a 3-day workshop with 19 pieces of research by experts to be presented.
"I hope the 3-day training would provide necessary knowledge for the detection and early intervention of autism, in order for us to help the children integrate into the community and have a better life," said Deputy Minister Nghia.
Especially, Dr. Connie Kasari from the University of California, Los Angeles, gave a review on Autism Education in America, setting an example for application in the case of Vietnam.
“Today demonstrates great cooperation between American and Vietnamese partners who care deeply about education and health. Autism is an important health issue because it deeply impacts the lives of so many people,” said U.S. Embassy Hanoi’s Deputy Chief of Mission Claire A. Pierangelo. “We are pleased to be a willing partner in building cooperation between our two countries.”
Autism has become a popular social problem in many countries around the world but in Vietnam today, autism is still a very new field and there has not been much research on the disorder. So far, no official data on the rates of autism spectrum disorder in Vietnam has been produced.
According to a research on the children of the Department of Physical Rehabilitation at the Central Children Hospital, the number of autistic children who came for treatment in 2007 increased 33 times compared to 2000, the autistic tendency increased from 122% to 268% in the period of 2004 - 2007, all compared to 2000.
Children are detected and diagnosed with autism relatively late, mostly after the age of two.
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| The symposium "Care and education for children with autism in Vietnam: Practices and Prospects" opens in Hanoi, March 12, 2013 |
According to Prof. Dr. Phan Van Kha, Director General of VNIES, the national symposium aims at raising community awareness of autism spectrum disorders as well as creating a premise to establish a network of cooperation and coordination between international organizations and the Government of Vietnam, experts, teachers and parents, in order to develop feasible, effective and sustainable solutions for autism education.
Especially, Kha said the symposium would provide a forum for Government officials, special education professionals from the United States and Vietnam, therapists, teachers and parents to discuss the current issues on autism in Vietnam such as policies for autistic children, detection, diagnostic assessment, early intervention, support inclusive education in schools, along with some of the latest research on autism and autism education in Vietnam and in the world.
"These are essential issues in autism education for children but also are the challenges for the community," said Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Nghia, during her remarks at the event.
Deputy Minister Nghia affirmed the Government's efforts in taking several measures to facilitate conditions for people with disabilities in general and autistic children in particular. However, many people including officials, teachers and parents are not sufficiently equipped with autism knowledge and education.
"I hope the presence of the experts will help us to soon find the solutions,” said Ms. Nghia.
The symposium takes place from March 12 - 13, 2013, followed by a 3-day workshop with 19 pieces of research by experts to be presented.
"I hope the 3-day training would provide necessary knowledge for the detection and early intervention of autism, in order for us to help the children integrate into the community and have a better life," said Deputy Minister Nghia.
Especially, Dr. Connie Kasari from the University of California, Los Angeles, gave a review on Autism Education in America, setting an example for application in the case of Vietnam.
“Today demonstrates great cooperation between American and Vietnamese partners who care deeply about education and health. Autism is an important health issue because it deeply impacts the lives of so many people,” said U.S. Embassy Hanoi’s Deputy Chief of Mission Claire A. Pierangelo. “We are pleased to be a willing partner in building cooperation between our two countries.”
Autism has become a popular social problem in many countries around the world but in Vietnam today, autism is still a very new field and there has not been much research on the disorder. So far, no official data on the rates of autism spectrum disorder in Vietnam has been produced.
According to a research on the children of the Department of Physical Rehabilitation at the Central Children Hospital, the number of autistic children who came for treatment in 2007 increased 33 times compared to 2000, the autistic tendency increased from 122% to 268% in the period of 2004 - 2007, all compared to 2000.
Children are detected and diagnosed with autism relatively late, mostly after the age of two.
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