DHAKA, March 26, 2025 (BSS) - There are some diseases for which none can be blamed. One such disease is autism. Yet for this, the mother of an autistic child has to suffer more in our society and it seems she has no end to the suffering.

Saleha Akhtar (pseudonym),who married Suman (pseudonym) out of love. At first, neither of the two families could accept the marriage with easy. Three years after the marriage, Saleha's little child Rehan came into Saleha's lap. At one stage, both families accepted the marriage because of Rehan. When Rehan was 18 months old, Saleha came to know that her son was an autistic as she visited the Mitford Hospital and Dhaka Children's Hospital. After knowing this, her husband Suman left Saleha.

Saleha had to say goodbye to her in-law's house. Eight years passed like this. Nine-and-a-half-year-old Rehan now goes to the Institute of Paediatric Neurodisorder and Autism (IPNA) school in the former PG hospital. Saleha takes her son to school five days a week from city's Tikatuli area.

While talking to Saleha at IPNA, she said, "Not only her husband has left her, but the rest of the family members also do not see her well. Neighbours' avoid her son, many make fun of him".

A joint study by the International Center for Diarrhoea Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) and the government's Infectious Disease Control Program found that one-third of mothers of autistic children
receive negative behaviour from family and neighbours'.

According to the study, almost half of mothers of autistic children become mentally ill. Alia Nahid, a scientist at the ICDDR,B, said the saddest thing is that many mothers cannot go to doctors even though
they suffer from physical and mental problems.

The recently published National Mental Health Survey found that about 7 percent of children aged 7-17 in the country are autistic. Autism is more common in cities than in villages and among boys than girls.

There are about 100 special schools for autistic children in the capital. The ICDDR,B conducted this study between May and December 2015 on mothers of 388 children from six special schools. The study found that 41 percent of mothers take care of autistic children alone. 59 percent of mothers are helped by domestic workers, husbands, other family members, other children and in some cases, neighbours'.

Anindya Dey, son of Aparna Das Gupta, a resident of Green Road in the capital, is 21 years old. After being diagnosed with autism at the age of four, he has been harassed by family members, close relatives
and neighbours' in various ways.

Former IPNA director Professor Shaheen Akhtar said, "When a child is autistic, the entire family is under pressure and the mother suffers the most. Society blames mothers' for giving birth to autistic children.
Mothers' quit their jobs to raise children. Many families break down. Mothers' cling to their children. Under so much pressure, mothers' do not sleep properly and most of their health break down".

Research has shown that 60 percent of mothers have reported being affected by one or more diseases, including diabetes. The study concludes that these mothers need social support. However, there is no such
program for mothers.

The Ministry of Family Welfare, Primary Education, Women and Children and Social Welfare are involved in the health and education of autistic children. The infectious diseases department of the Directorate General of Health works with these children. Professor AHM Enayet Hossain, former line director of the program, said that the study is clear that separate support is needed for these mothers.

Saleha said she really needs help. After leaving her husband, she moved into her mother's house and started working in a boutique. "My work is not going well because I can't leave my son anywhere. I can't take my son to the physiotherapist, I can't pay for a teacher. It's hard to pay for rent. There is nothing for mothers like us anywhere," he added with great utter dismay.