Autism Centers in Shanghai
October 18, 2006 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
A lack of schools for autistic children; a lack of funding for those schools; parents giving up everything to move close to and pay for an education that will help a child achieve as much as he or she can.
This is the situation for autistic children and their families in China as reported in today’s ChinaDaily.com in an article entitled NGOs [non-governmental organizations] take lead in providing shelter to ‘rain men’.
Chen Jie said the amount of effort needed to treat an autistic child was at least 100 times that needed to educate a normal child.
“The reason we carry on with our work is that we cannot let down these parents, who we believe are the greatest parents in the world,” Chen said.
“They have refused to abandon their children, and some even quit their jobs to look after them full time. They never give up and keep trying. Their presence in the centre is the best proof of that.”
One Jiangsu Province native surnamed Lu requested leave from her job for three months to travel to Shanghai last month to seek treatment for her autistic son.
She rents a tiny room without a private bathroom or any electrical appliances. She jokes that she lives in a time warp left behind by the city’s booming economic success.
Lu’s son attends Shanghai Qingcongquan Autistic Children Training Centre, which provides only a half-day of school for its students, due to a lack of funding. Jiang Limin, also the parent of an autistic child, founded Shanghai Xingyu Autistic Children Training Centre, the first NGO autism center in Shanghai, in 2003.
Jiang said she was saddened by the fact that the country does not yet define autistic youngsters as disabled.
“The funds needed to train an autistic child are far beyond the cost of caring for many other kinds of disabled people,” she said, adding that despite the cost, every cent used to train an autistic child was money well spent.
That is indeed something that we all know—-that and Lu’s saying “‘I am pleased with every single step up he takes.’”
“…every cent used to (educate) a …child is money well spent.” That’s a simple yet profound truth. It is true for disabled and nondisabled children. Disabled children cost a few more “cents” than the others.
And what good “sense” it is to spend those cents, whether they be in ren min bi, euros, dollars….
My son attends a wonderful school for kids with autism. http://www.specialedchina.com It is an English school; mostly for foreign kids.
I desparately need help here. My son was born in USA. Because of family reasons he is in Shanghai right now living with my parents. He is 27 months old and was diagnosed with PDD and ASD. I have not been able to find any program in the Pudong area. Can you provide any insight of how we can help speech or occupational, ABA training / therapy for pre-school kid in Shanghai?
Thanks a lot for your help in advance!
@Li, Hi, just wanted to let you know I am working on your question—-will be in contact. Was he diagnosed in the USA? Very best—-
Thanks a lot Dr. Chew! Yes, he was diagnosed in USA by one doctors. We have him evaluated by another doctor but she would not put this diagnosis on him because she thinks he is a little too young. But I am very concerned and want to find a program similar to those offered in USA. If he can receive good help in Shanghai I can let him stay here longer. Too much change in environment is not good for him. By the way, I called Qingcongquan but they have a long waiting list and are too far from my parents’.
Look forward to your response! Thanks again!
Hi, my son has autism and attends a great school here in Shanghai. My wife is one of the teachers there.
Let me know if I can help!!!
He must be a foreign passport holder though. The Chinese government will not allow Chinese citizens to attend this school.
I will be moving to Shanghai in August 2009 with my 8 year old son who has ASD and sensory issues. What is the best place for services like speech language therapy and occupational therapy?
Do the schools have learning support at the schools like BISS and SAS in Pudong?
What are the additional costs of the services?
Where can I find a good specialist or consultant or tutor for my son after school?
Thanks again!
Where can I get an ID bracelet engraved for a child with autism in Chinese?