CRI听力:National Disabled Day Focuses on Autistic Children

This year's "National Day for the Disabled" in China is focusing on autistic children.

CRI's Qian Shanming has the details.

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Five-year-old Rongrong is receiving rehabilitation therapy at a treatment center in Beijing.

She is one of some 2-million children in China under the age of 14 that have been diagnosed with autism.

The China Disabled Persons Federation estimates over 600-thousand pre-school children in China are autistic, and says that figure is increasing.

Only one-in-ten of these children are receiving any sort of treatment.

There is currently no cure for autism.

As such, the best the medical community can do right now is try to help autistic children better adjust to their symptoms.

Doctor Wu Weihong with Beijing Boai Hospital says they have a number of therapies which have been effective.

"For example, the kids are taught to communicate, using language to express their needs. They learn the skills they need to interact with their families, friends and average people. At the same time, we're helping them eliminate the behavior which is commonly associated with autism."

Li Jianjun, Director of China Rehabilitation Research Center, says a more standardized approach to treating autism is needed.

"In China, treating autistic children is difficult, largely due to a lack of a national standards. As such, we're trying to formulate a standard for people to follow, so they have a better idea of what methods are effective and what are not. The standard is based on practical studies and is reliable."

The Chinese government is paying more attention to the situation.

A growing number of rehab centers in China are starting to provide more extensive monitoring and treatment for autistic children.

More government grants are also being offered to help ease the financial burden for the families who have autistic children.

"After receiving treatment for three years, my kid is now able to stand up and eat food by himself. The increased subsidies have reduced our financial burden and make us more confident about one-day finding a cure."

Autism itself affects how the brain processes information.

Causes for Autism aren't widely known, though its believed a combination of genetic and environmental factors may be involved.

In China, more than 13 million people suffer from autism, including an estimated 1.8 million children, while worldwide autism has an incidence of between one and two percent worldwide.

While some cases of autism can be completely debilitating, others are less so.

Through therapy, those with more mild forms of autism can go on to lead a healthy and productive life.

For CRI, I'm Qian Shanming.