Last month, Vietnam held its first symposium on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In particular, the Hanoi Club for Parents of Children with Autism conducted a series of discussions regarding methods to improve government policy on education and health.
In recent years, there has been a marked change in the public perception of ASD, partly resulting from improvements in health care and from increased access to research conducted in other countries. Vietnam has also seen increases in the number of special education schools. However, the country still has yet to establish a national policy on treating ASD. Current learning strategies and practices available for children with ASD appears to be complicated and confusing for many parents.
The Hanoi Club for Parents of Children with Autism are taking one of the first steps towards establishing a national framework that meets the educational needs of children with ASD in Vietnam.
“In the year 2002, we established the first parents club for the children with autism in Hanoi. At that time were only 40 families come together with some professionals in special education and now it’s more than 500 families,” said Dr. Nguyen Thi Huang Yen, vice director of the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences.
Creative Commons Love: U.S. Army on Flickr