JEDDAH, 19 February 2003 — Finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the disabled in Saudi Arabia — be they physically or mentally challenged.
There is a national program now for integrating the disabled into mainstream society and new facilities for them have been opened. With a growing number of Saudis suffering some form of disability — mental or physical — it was high time attention was directed at their causes and improving their quality of life.
A recent study by the Ministry of Health estimated that more than 700,000 Saudis — up to 1.2 million, according to another study — suffer disabilities. Sixty percent have psychological problems due to harsh treatment by family members or from attitudes in society which inhibit their activities.
The survey recommended integrating the disabled into public life and encouraged the government to enact new legislation and set up specialized rehabilitation facilities.
“We are one of the few countries without a program for accommodating the disabled and acknowledging their rights,” Dr. Zuhair Maymani, director of Disabled Children Association, told Arab News.
“We need protocols in hospitals, schools and public places that protect the rights of the disabled,” argues Dr. Heba Attiyah, a consultant speech pathologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KFSH) in Jeddah. “There are laws for that but they are not emphasized,” she added.
This was one of the recommendations of the Conference for Children with Developmental Disabilities organized by KFSH in January.
“A developmental disability is anything that interrupts the development of a child because it prevents him from learning, moving, thinking or playing,” explained Dr. Attiyah.
The many types of disability include mental retardation, physical handicaps, language problems and learning difficulties. This was the first conference focusing on the developmental disabilities of children, and one of its goals was to exchange knowledge and experiences of Arab professionals in the field, according to Dr. Attiyah, who headed the organizing committee.
“We have very little public awareness, health education and preventive medicine programs for the disabled in our society,” said Dr. Maymani.
The Disabled Children’s Association has four rehabilitation facilities in the Kingdom helping children with physical and mental disabilities.
The Arabian Council for Childhood and Development has estimated that 10 percent of Arab children suffer disabilities, but Dr. Attiyah thinks the figure may be greater and says that the statistics presently available are unreliable.
“Sixty percent of the disabled have never been to a doctor or received any sort of professional help in Saudi Arabia, and very few lead an interactive public life,” said Dr. Maymani. “How often do you see a disabled person in a mall or a restaurant?” he asked.
Sadly, people here still consider a disabled family member as a shame or a burden.
“There is lack of support and funding for the needs of the disabled, not just in terms of money but also regarding the number of professionals,” commented Dr. Attiyah.
“One of our main recommendations is implementing a comprehensive program for early intervention that deals with all aspects of children’s disability,” said Dr. Attiyah.
An early intervention program at King Faisal Specialist Hospital has just been approved and will be piloted with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education at one public school.
Early diagnosis and family awareness are very important in the preventive effort. Two of the most commonly misdiagnosed and mistreated developmental disabilities are attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD). “Children with these disorders can’t inhibit stimulus around them and are easily distracted,” explained Dr. Attiyah.
“More attention is finally being directed toward improving the life of the disabled, especially after the royal decree three months ago that appointed Crown Prince Abdullah president of the Higher Council for the Disabled,” said Dr. Maymani.
