Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of HM the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), patronised the opening of the Sixth International Conference on Autism, which was held under the title “Decoding Autism”.
Her Highness Shaikha Nayla bint Hamad bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of the Royal Rescue and Safety Foundation of Bahrain was deputized to attend the conference.
The event was organised by the Bahrain Society for Children with Difficulties in Behavior and Communication from February 25-27 at the Isa Cultural Center.
The conference discussed on its first day the strategies for understanding the challenges of individuals with autism and the importance of diagnosis and early therapeutic intervention for the best results.
They also reviewed the applications of cellular therapy in improving neurological functions and social communication in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, and recent studies examining the effect of gene therapies and stem cells on improving autism spectrum symptoms and enhancing neurological growth and development.
The conference also included counseling sessions during which a number of specialists provided direct consultations to parents and those interested in autism, including autism, hyperactivity and learning difficulties specialists, teachers, researchers, doctors, and speech and behavior modification specialists.
The event will include a number of specialized exhibitions, including an art exhibition showcasing the exceptional talents of children with autism spectrum disorders. The exhibition will also feature works by Bahraini artists led by Abbas Al Mousawi, and a showcase of educational products and services aimed at promoting the learning and development of children with disabilities.
A social story was also launched for children, which is a popular educational method that aims to instill positive values and attitudes in the souls of its audience, satisfy some of their psychological needs, contribute to expanding their understanding and stimulating their imaginations, and responding to their inclinations for adventure and exploration.
The three-day conference highlights the latest treatments for autism spectrum disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions, and works to provide comprehensive strategies for managing the medical and behavioral symptoms of children and adolescents with the disease with the aim of improving their quality of life.
It also aims to educate the community about autism disorders via lectures and educational sessions conducted by experts in developmental and behavioral disorders and review recent research results on this field and develop effective and innovative treatment strategies in the future.
BNA(R)
