Aarav (changed name) is eight years old but he is not as intelligent as other children of his age. His family calls him ‘budbuk’, which roughly means fool in English. The family is worried that the boy will get lost if he walks out of home alone. They don’t let him do it. But If the boy somehow manages to get out of the house alone, he gets beaten by children in his neighbourhood. The boy lives in Ghaziabad and his family is not wealthy enough to afford good doctors. His grandmother works as a help at a journalist’s house. His family members say he is just as intelligent as his 2.5-year-old sister. He is suffering from autism.
The incident came to light when a journalist shared his ordeals on Twitter. She asked the family to consult doctors and Aarav was taken to some government hospitals. “One of the doctors they consulted apparently advised the family to keep him sedated life long. I am shivering. The family is not educated & fights for daily existence. Such advice by so-called doctors, we value so much,” the journalist said.
She requested people to offer Aarav some help. “I would be grateful if you can suggest a good way out– may be a special school for the special kid, counselling for parents, or any guidance. I am saying a prayer for Aarav. Sincerely hope it gets answered,” she wrote.
It seems her prayers have been answered as HealthWire Media has decided to help the kid and working to provide him best possible treatment.
The boy has already started getting treatment from AIIMS doctor Dr. Veena Kalra.
HealthWire Aims To Make People Aware About Autism
There has been a steep rise in the prevalence of autism in the past 20 years. According to a report, every one in 100 children below the age of 10 has autism. It is nothing short of an epidemic and therefore calls for an urgent need for better diagnosis and management.
Through this small step, HealthWire is also trying to spread the message that society should accept people as they are and try to provide them with the best medical facility possible. It will continue to do so in the future as well.
What is Autism?
According to Dr Rajesh Kumar Jain, Autism simply means lack of communication. It could be verbal communication, non-verbal, gestural or even emotional.
They main symptom of autism is poor eye contact. Also, one-year-old should be able to point fingers. But those with autism can’t do it.
Watch the video below to know more about it.
