PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has planned to establish a centre of excellence to provide treatment and education to children af fected by autism, according to of ficials.

`We have planned to set up the centre in view of non-availability of any arrangement at the government level to help such children. Autism, a neuro-developmental disorder is prevalent in 12 to 15 per cent of the total number of special children in the country,` they said.

These children don`t get the desired attention and ultimately end up in isolation. They are not able to interact with people due to which they develop repetitive behavior.

The initiative is also aimed at reducing the number beggars as many of the children having autism turn into beggars later.

The centre, to be called `Tabdeell`, is being included in the coming Annual Development Programme by the special education of socialwelfare department of the province. It will provide technical education to the children to make them useful members of the society after they get the treatment.

Officials said that parents could notice signs of the disease in children during the initial two years but they ignored the same. However, many parents knew that their children had abnormal behavoiur and had physical deformity but couldn`t do anything in the absence of any facility for the physical and social development of such patients.

According to the plan, the affected children would be located through police, NGOs, health, education and other government departments and they would be enlisted at the centre for treatment and care. Following their physical development, they would be imparted vocational training in embroidery and sewing, etc and subsequently development of businesses for them.

They will be entitled to free legal support and getting social services at the centre, which will be equipped with services of pediatricians, psy-chologists and other experts.

Autism is curable and the affected children show rapid development after treatment. Most of such children belonged to poor families and ultimately became beggars when they grew up, of ficials said.

According to the plan, seminars, walks and press conferences would be held to inform the parents about the signs and symptoms of the allment so they can take benefit from the services.

Experts say that one child in every 110 has autism.

The centre will operate in close coordination with teaching and district headquarters hospitals, civil society groups and community elders to find children with autism and treat them.

The children will get treatment, counselling, hearing and speech therapies at the centre which will be connected with professional organisations and experts to ensure that affected children are traced early because they respond to treatment well.

Officials said that the centre would be equipped with physiotherapy services and would provide all help required by the patients.