Finding their inner voice

A look at some of the treatment methods in the city for children with autism

Unlike most boys his age, Chen Chu (not his real name) faces serious difficulties learning even the basic skills required in basketball.

The 13-year-old suffers from autism, a mental condition that could manifest as communication and behavioral issues. Some of those with autism might also face psychomotor problems, which makes it difficult to perform simple tasks such as bouncing a ball or throwing it toward a basketball hoop.

But the boy is not alone. Set up by the Shanghai-based Children's Hospital of Fudan University on April 2, the basketball team he trains with specially caters to autistic children around the country, helping to boost their interpersonal skills and facilitate their integration with society. The first batch of players in the team comprise 12 children aged 8 to 12.

Training takes place once a month and each session is an hour long. The hospital said that it regularly invites autistic children to join in the team, which is the only one of its kind in China.

"One of the main objectives of this team is not to turn these children into skillful players but to give them an avenue to interact and cooperate with one another," said Liu Siyuan, a physical education teacher at a kindergarten in Shanghai who is also the coach of the autistic kids.

"Currently, each child is only able to train on his own with the assistance of volunteers. I hope the 12 children can soon be able to form two groups and play a proper game after more training."

According to official data, China has more than 10 million children with autism.

In Shanghai, there is a special needs school in each district and parents need the medical proof of the condition to enrol their children into such institutions.

As the leading autism research and treatment center in the country, the Children's Hospital of Fudan University has trained a batch of pediatricians at community hospitals in Xuhui and Minhang districts.

As of November 2013, autism screening was included as part of the health check for each child at these hospitals when they are 18 and 24 months old.

The benefits of sports

Wang Yi, vice-president of the hospital and one of the country's leading experts in autism, said that sporting activities such as basketball, jogging and swimming have been widely acknowledged by the international medical field as beneficial in helping autistic children boost their communication skills and self-confidence.