KUALA LUMPUR: Creative art activities are an effective intervention in helping autistic children to focus and communicate better, thereby allowing the group's potential to grow alongside their peers. Through creative arts, children with autism have a platform to express themselves, explore their emotions and develop their social skills, in addition to helping them feel more understood and appreciated by those around them. Mardhiah D'Raphael, 32, a mother of four autistic children, said art activities not only allow her children to express their feelings but more importantly it helps her to know the current emotional position of her children. "Some autistic persons have speech problems, but through art activities they can express their feelings without using words. We just allow them to draw.,, and we can see (based on the drawings) if they are sad or (experiencing) something else," she told Bernama. Mardhiah said this when met at an art competition, at the River Of Live KL, organised by the Caring Cluster Foundation and seeing the participation of more than 40 autistic children. She said the activity also allowed her children, who are normally active, to put their focus on something. "All four of my children have autism and ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder). They find it difficult to sit (still) and focus. But, through this drawing activity, they can actually sit still and not have 'tantrums'," she said. She added that family support is very important in contributing to the development of the mind of autistic children because the average group struggles with verbal communication and needs different methods to ensure better understanding and expression. Housewife Siti Fauzliana Abdul Razak, 41, said her eldest child is stressed whenever she (Siti Fauzliana) does not understand what the 13-year-old wants but can express her feelings through drawings. "My daughter has communication constraints, speech delay, so drawing is a way for her to express what she feels according to her therapist. S ometimes, she gets stressed with us because we cannot understand what she is saying, but when she draws she can express what she feels and becomes calmer," said Siti Fauzliana, who has three daughters with autism. Siti Fauliana said art activities also help her children generate an income and so far more than 15 of their paintings have been sold. In line with that, independent trainer Rathi Ram, 44, said art activities helped her autistic son to be more disciplined and able to listen to instructions. "I realise that when he is involved in the painting activity, he listens more to instructions and usually just does what I tell him to do. Apart from painting, he also likes music, especially playing the drums," she said, adding that parents should expose their autistic children to join open competitions so that the behaviour of their children is better. Source: BERNAMA News Agency
