Dubai Police support boy with autism, developmental delays
Three-year-old’s mum provided free training to become a qualified behaviour technician
Dubai: The mother of a three-year-old boy suffering of autism spectrum disorders and development delays thanked Dubai Police for their support in providing her free professional training to become a registered behaviour technician.
According to Dubai Police, the privilege card for employees’ Esaad’ aided the boy’s family under their humanitarian initiative in collaboration with Child Early Intervention Medical Centre and Maharat Learning Centre.
Mona Al Amri, Head of the Esaad Card Committee, said the medical condition of the boy called for an early behavioural and skill-based intervention so he could catch up with his peers and join school under the Inclusive Education for People of Determination Programme.
However, due to the boy’s condition and needs, the family could not afford to enrol him in the required sessions or training courses.
“We collaborated with our partners to enroll the mother in a complimentary Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT) course and qualify her so she could attend to her son’s needs on an equal footing with any registered trainer,” Al Meri said.
According to Dubai Police, the mother who didn’t want to be named, said that she had had a premature delivery.
“As he grew up, he started showing signs of developmental delays in speech, crawling, walking and many other skills. He was later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and delayed milestone,” the mother said.
“His treatment and education is extremely expensive. We cannot afford it,” she added.
She expressed her happiness when she was approached by Esaad and the Child Early Intervention Medical Centre who offered to sponsor the case and train the mother to take care of her child by herself in a professional manner.
“I will do everything I can to be up to the mark, change my child’s life and empower him to be independent,” she added.
Dr Hibah Shata, Founder and Managing Director of Maharat Learning Centre, said she is pleased to collaborate with Dubai Police’s Esaad and make a difference in a family’s life.
“We are keen to be part of this initiative and help the child’s family by evaluating the case and providing the mother with proper training so she can understand her son’s case better,” Dr Shata said.
She added that they will also monitor the boy’s development and intervene when necessary by modifying the training programme.