Lien Chieh-yu (
The event, sponsored by the Foundation for Autistic Children and Adults in Taiwan (FACT,
First Lady Wu Shu-chen (
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"The money is not much, but I hope it will motivate more people to follow suit," she said. "As government resources are usually limited, it's important to integrate them with those from the public."
Lin Chao-yang (
"The outcome is twofold: society learns more about them, and they get to know more about society in return," said Lin, who is the father of an autistic child. "Only by being in touch with society can their world become colorful."
Wu Shih-min (
"At least once a week we take him to the Nankang train station to see the trains," she said. "In addition, I do what I can to take him out to participate in different kinds of activities because I think it is good for him."
Unlike other mentally-challenged people, autistic children are capable of logical thinking but have impairments in social interaction, social communication and imagination.
"In addition to this triad of impairments, repetitive behavior patterns are a notable feature, as well as resistance to changes in their routines," said Chan Ho-yueh (
Autism, first identified in 1943, is a condition occurring in young children before the age of three, and it occurs in different degrees of severity and in a variety of forms, Chan explained. The cause of autism is unknown but it may include genetic, psychological, physiological, and sociological factors.
There is no official data on the exact number of people with autism in Taiwan, but Chan said she believes that it is estimated to touch the lives of over 20,000, or about five to 10 of every 10,000 people, with a male to female ratio of five to one.
"People with autism are not physically disabled and look just like anybody without the disability," she said. "Our goal is to help them learn to live an independent life. Helping them become independent is a way to help the society cut down social costs," she said.
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