KUCHING: Parents with autistic children must never give up on educating them as well as creating greater public awareness on autism.

Dr Suri S. Charles, an early intervention specialist on child behaviour, pointed out that parent acceptance of autistic children is essential for the development of their social skills.

“Parent acceptance plays very important role in helping children with autism learn and develop skills. Often, once parents discovered that their children are autistic, they would straight away focus and think about diagnosing autism,” she said at a forum on the importance of acceptance for autism here yesterday.

She advised parents with autistic children to ignore negative comments and expose their child to public places.

“Don’t keep and hide your children at home, away from society,” she urged.

She lamented that people’s perception towards autism are negative because nobody emphasises on their strengths.

“We live in a society that loves to demean others. Our people love to blame the mother as the cause of their children to have autism. The common assumption people love to label children with autism as a punishment from God.”

Rather than focusing on treatment, Dr Suri stressed parents should look at ways to help their children in developing skills.

“As a parent, we should find ways to help the children on how they can function within society.

“There are no better ways than to acknowledge and realise their disability and help to further strengthen their talents,” she said.

Dr Suri warned against putting pressure on the children as it could harm their mental wellbeing.

“Getting to know a child, we can realise that like any other children, a child with autism also possesses certain abilities and talents.

“We must not give up finding the key for their success and not to be ashamed of them,” she said.