Autism support most effective during key childhood development years
SUBANG JAYA: The ages of three to 12 are a critical period for intervention and skill development among children with autism, making early screening and support essential in helping them reach their full potential, according to the National Autism Society of Malaysia (Nasom).
Its marketing communications manager Mohd Zakwan Zainal said growing public awareness of autism has led more parents to seek early screening and professional assessments, enabling children to receive support sooner.
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“Some parents may notice that their child is developing differently but are hesitant to seek help.
“We always encourage early screening because it helps identify the child’s needs and allows support to begin as early as possible,” he said during the Taylor’s College World Play Day celebration at the Taylor’s Lakeside Campus yesterday.
He emphasised that autism is not a disease that can be cured, but a developmental condition that could be better supported through timely intervention.
“With early intervention, we could help children develop communication, social and behavioural skills that support their independence and quality of life.”
He also said increased awareness through social media, online resources and parents sharing their experiences has contributed to more families recognising developmental signs and seeking assessments for their children.
“Many people are aware of autism today. The next step is acceptance and understanding that every autistic individual is unique and deserves to be included in society,” he said, adding that Nasom currently supports about 500 children annually through various programmes nationwide.
The World Play Day event organised by Taylor’s College in collaboration with Nasom brought together children with and without special needs through a range of inclusive activities.
Mohd Zakwan said such programmes help foster understanding among families and the wider community by creating opportunities for meaningful interaction.
He added that the activities were designed to encourage communication, social interaction and participation, while allowing children to learn and play together in an inclusive environment. Meanwhile, Taylor’s College Diploma in Early Childhood Education (DECE) programme director Nurul Iman Arshad said the initiative was intended to demonstrate how role-acting could be a powerful learning tool while fostering inclusion among children of different abilities. She said the annual programme also serves as a hands-on learning opportunity for future educators.
“Students learn about role-actingbased learning in lectures, but we wanted them to engage with the community and gain hands-on experience working with real children and families.”
She added that this year’s collaboration with Nasom was aimed at exposing students to inclusive educational practices and helping them better understand how to support children with autism and other special needs.
“We wanted our students to think about how to adapt activities and make them more inclusive.
Nasom also briefed them on managing children with autism, so it became a learning opportunity for the students as well.”
She also said inclusive play provides a natural environment in which children focus on enjoyment rather than differences.
“When children are having fun together, they do not see differences and it creates an inclusive environment in which children of different abilities could learn and grow together.
“At the same time, our students are trained to recognise signs of sensory overload in children with autism and respond appropriately.”
Nurul Iman also encouraged parents to incorporate play-based learning into everyday activities at home. “We want parents to see that learning can happen during everyday activities.
“Even something as simple as grocery shopping could be turned into an opportunity for children to practise reading, writing and numeracy skills.”
