One Boy’s Journey: Living with Autism in the UAE

Abstract

The world continues to see a rise in the number of cases of autism and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Yet even as the world acknowledges the increase, not every culture or country views autism the same way. This article discusses my personal encounter with autism when my son was diagnosed as a child while living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It looks at autism from the perspective of the Arab world and how Arab culture understands autism. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges families with autistic children face when attempting to find assistance in the UAE. The article also acknowledges the strides being made by the UAE in dealing with autism.