JEDDAH: There is an urgent need to increase the number of rehabilitation centers for autistic children in Makkah, said Naseeba Al-Huseini, head of the Saudi Autistic Society in Jeddah, yesterday.

Al-Huseini’s comments coincide with World Autism Day, which is today.

“The Saudi Autistic Society often receives calls from families with autistic children from Makkah and Madinah. They ask about the best way to deal with their kids,” said Al-Huseini, adding that no such centers exist in Makkah.

She said the society cares for 138 autistic children, provides support to their families, and plays an important role in mediating between families and relevant government departments.

Al-Huseini said the society, in conjunction with organizations such as the Family Protection Society and King Abdulaziz University (KAU), has organized a number of activities to mark World Autism Day. The activities will last for two days and involve more than 200 families with autistic children.

Autistic children lack government support and receive only SR8,000 a year in financial support from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

The lack of specialized government centers to treat autistic children has led many families to seek treatment abroad. Many doctors and social researchers understand the difficulty that face families who seek treatment in the Kingdom.

Ahmad Al-Zahrani, father of an autistic child, told Al-Madinah newspaper that he traveled to the UAE to seek treatment for his son after he failed to secure him a place at a Saudi autistic center. He said that each year he spends more than SR40,000 on treatment.

Another parent said he has recruited a teacher from abroad to look after his son and pays him SR2,000 a month.

He has also employed a special teacher for his son, who he pays SR100 per lesson. Further to this, he pays SR30,000 a year to a charity to care for him. “I do not care about the money as long as my son’s condition improves,” he said.

Naif Al-Zarie, a social researcher in autism, said that according to an official study conducted by KAU there are six cases of autism for every 1,000 babies born in the Kingdom each year.