Autism care centre opens in Itanagar, aims for early intervention

Itanagar witnessed the inauguration of a new autism care facility on September 7, as All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) president Tana Doji Tara opened the AP Rehabilitation and Child Development Centre at Lekhi near the state capital.

The centre, established under the initiative of Binde Jini, chairperson of the society, is designed to provide therapies for children with autism and learning disabilities. Services will include speech, occupational, behavioural and educational therapies delivered by trained professionals.

Highlighting the importance of early detection, Tara said children with autism can achieve better outcomes if their condition is identified and treated in the early stages. “We are very happy to have such a centre in our smart city of Itanagar. With proper therapies, these children can get a good future,” he told India Today.

Tara assured that AAPSU would extend support to organisations working in this field, while urging parents not to view autism as a stigma. “Autism is not the fault of the children. Parents should not hesitate to seek therapies at such centres,” he added.

The organisation behind the initiative stated that its mission is to identify children with autism early, assess severity with expert help, and provide tailored therapy plans to help them adapt to everyday life.