Don't misunderstand and discriminate.

"Every child is a gift." But many families receive that "gift" with many challenges. I say that because I witnessed a family in Cam Giang town (Cam Giang, Hai Duong) with a chubby, cute boy but with autism.

Being autistic, the boy’s smile is rare. Instead, his eyes are absent-minded, his speech is intermittent, and his strange behavior makes outsiders feel uneasy. But his parents have remained silently by their son’s side throughout the long journey. They shared that the most difficult thing is not the hard days of going from hospital to hospital, but the way to overcome the discrimination of the community.

In Hai Duong and across the country, more and more children are being diagnosed with autism. Although there are no official and regularly updated figures, it is easy to see that the number of children coming to early intervention centers, specialized classes or counseling sessions with psychologists to treat autism in Hai Duong City is increasing. Behind each special child is a family that is shouldering a difficult and stressful journey.

One of the biggest obstacles that families face is not the child’s differences but the community’s misconceptions. Many people still think that autistic children are “mentally ill” or “because parents don’t know how to raise their children”. Those strange looks, unintentional questions, and seemingly trivial whispers are like knives cutting into the hearts of parents. Surely many parents with autistic children have chosen to withdraw from crowds, avoid meetings, and not dare to take their children out or to school just to avoid those invisible wounds.

The truth is that autism is not a disease, nor is it a sentence. Autism is a congenital neurodevelopmental disorder, with different levels and manifestations in each person. The journey of accompanying children of parents with autistic children has never been easy. Many parents have taken their children everywhere for treatment but after only a few months had to return home because they could not afford the cost. Early intervention classes in Hai Duong City have recently been established, but the number of teachers and classes is limited. Private centers have high tuition fees, while public classes are not qualified to receive and teach according to the special needs of autistic children.

Despite the difficulties, support from the government is still not much. Autistic children still do not have a separate medical record code in the health system, nor are they widely recognized as disabled people who can receive benefits.

Changing community awareness is essential. When every citizen understands autism correctly, stops discriminating and opens their hearts to differences, society will truly become tolerant and civilized towards autistic children. When schools adjust their programs and have teachers to support special children, they will have the opportunity to learn and integrate. When healthcare and education go hand in hand, autistic children will no longer be left behind.

The mother of a boy in Cam Giang town, after a long time of treatment for her son, recently shared with me her joy when her son was able to point to the sky and say "I like stars...". That was the first time the boy could say a complete sentence to express what he wanted. His mother cried. She cried because of happiness. A small happiness but enough to keep the faith to help her and her family continue to accompany her son.

I believe that every autistic child is a "star". They may not shine brightly yet, but if we are patient and loving enough, we will see their light. Don't let any "star" die out in loneliness and oblivion because of discrimination.