"He attended a special school for autistic children in our home province of Liaoning for about three years," said Meng's mother, Li Donghua.
But life was boring at the school and the children spent hours picking up plastic beads with chopsticks. "At the end of the three years, he was still not
able to eat or dress himself properly," she said.
After the May Day holiday, Li took her son to Home of Wisdom, a non-governmental organization that provides training and rehabilitation for
autistic children aged from 3 to 18.
On his first day, Meng was determined to gulp down a whole bottle of water when Wang Liying stopped him. "Slow down, and take small mouthfuls," she said.
Wang, a psychology major, is the founder of the training program. She is in charge of Home of Wisdom and also teaches psychology at Beihua University in
Jilin, a city in the northeast China province with the same name.
An experienced child psychologist, Wang could tell Meng's behavioral problems after observing him for just 10 minutes. "He is unable to control his behaviors
and becomes irritable when others try to interfere."
Wang said her organization provides tailored training programs for different children. "Meng is tidy and neat, so his daily routine now is fastening his
buttons instead of picking up beads. When he learns to do it properly he will
feel rather accomplished."
This will be followed by getting dressed and tying shoelaces, said Wang. "Gradually, he will learn to take care of himself and take delight in his
progress."
Unlike most other rehabilitation centers for autistic children in China that provide one-to-one service, Wang believes that studying in groups is better for
them before they eventually step into society.
She has tailored different training programs for each child. "We need to find out about their temperament and interests in order to work out the most
efficient way to rehabilitate them," said Wang.
Home of Wisdom has trained more than 400 children since its founding in 2009. Seventy percent of the children aged under 6 are now studying at schools or
kindergartens with their peers after rehabilitation. Meanwhile, four teenagers
have secured factory jobs.
Presently, more than 40 children are receiving rehabilitation. While youngsters under 10 are taught basic life skills, older children also learn
techniques that will help them to earn a living.
Sha Lin, 18, stands out among the students for his talent in painting. "He is particularly good at painting bamboos," said Zheng Xiaoqiao, an art teacher at
Home of Wisdom.
"Communication with autistic children can be difficult, but they often concentrate well on their own interests," said Zheng.
Though Sha is prone to running around and even attacking others, he can sit quietly for hours painting. After two years of rehabilitation, he has secured a
job at a cardboard factory in Jilin.
Taking part in sport is also compulsory at Home of Wisdom, where children can choose jogging, tug-of-war or gymnastics. "New students who still have
difficulty in controlling their limbs often start with jogging. As they
progress, they can take part in other exercises or games," said Sun Chenglong,
their sports teacher.
At the end of the day, the children are free to read, paint or use the computers. "Though autistic children cannot express themselves freely, they have
strong desires to prove their ability. To meet their needs and enhance their
sense of security are important in rehabilitation," said Wang.
Wang employs a team of 37 workers. Her students, all psychology majors at Beihua University, also spend time with the children. The organization, though
privately owned, receives regular funding from the local federation for the
disabled. The money, however, is not enough to cover running costs.
To make up the shortage, the organization charges each boarder 2,800 yuan (448 U.S. dollars) and each day student 1,600 yuan a month. But children aged
under 6 receive training and rehabilitation for free, said Wang.
"We are doing our best to help these children and their families by treating them with affection and patience, and enabling them to become independent," said
Wang. "Just as our school song goes, 'Please don't get impatient when I cannot
follow you. Please stay with me so that I won't feel lonesome.'"
Youngsters with autism are called "children of the stars", as they are lonely and lack emotional reactions, language or social skills.
According to a report released by the China Philanthropy Research Institute, at least 1.64 million children in the country suffer from autism. The figure is
increasing every year.
Parents face a lot of difficulties caring and bringing up an autistic child, as special training centers like Home of Wisdom are scarce.
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