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Autistic turns computer whizkid

AL AIN — When government-run rehabilitation centres rejected the application of 18-year-old autistic Ali Nasser Al Sherafy, the world came crumbling down on his father. But not one to lose heart, he decided to set up a rehabilitation centre for autistic patients himself.

And the move paid off. Today, Ali Nasser is something of a computer whizkid. The challenged national teenager's finger fly over the keyboard as he puts the computer to good use, and is even adept at graphic designing besides surfing the net. That is not all. His scores in computer games would put a normal kid to shame.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Ali Nasser's father Nasser Ali Azez Al Sherafe, Chief Executive of Al Ain Private Centre for Care and Rehabilitation, said: The idea of establishing a centre for autistics had been in my mind for a long time, since I myself am the father of a child who suffers from autism as well as behavioural abnormalities."

His resolve to establish a centre firmed up when he found it difficult to register his son at one of the government centres. Also, the fact that there were hardly any specialised centres in the country helped in the decision-making.

Saadi J Dhaher, General Manager of the Centre, said Ali was suffering from autism since he was two-year-old, when his parents noticed that the child was indifferent to surroundings, was content being alone, happy playing by himself and showed little interest in toys. The parents also noticed that there was no laughter in him, and he seemed deaf.

Ali's life changed after joining his father's centre since he was basically a clever child. He soon showed his skills in all types of computer games and functions like graphic designing. In fact, he recorded high scores in all the games he played in front of this correspondent.

Dhaher said autism was a development disability, which surfaces in the first three years of life. The result of a neurological disorder, which affects the functioning of the brain, autism and related behaviour, are reported to occur in one among 500 persons.