What’s Going on in Saudi Arabia for Autism Care?
My journey to the Saudi Autistic Society actually began in April of 2024 when I was planning a trip to Abu Dhabi to attend its annual autism conference. I noticed that one of the sponsors was the Saudi Autistic Society. Out of sheer curiosity, I started digging into that organization and found a general email address on their website. I wrote to the general inbox explaining that I planned to be in attendance and that I would love a chance to meet with whomever was attending as a representative of their organization. To my delight, I got a response from Dr. Talaat Al-Wazna, the Secretary General of the Saudi Charitable Autistic Society. We met over dinner along with some of his friends and learned that we had much in common, including an admiration of Long Beach, California and UCLA.
Six months later, I reached out to Dr. Al-Wazna and told him that I was returning to Abu Dhabi to give a speech and I would love to pop on over to Saudi Arabia while I was in the neighborhood. He connected me to the educational director, Dr. Munther Hamdallah, who went to the trouble of creating an incredible visit for me to learn about how they serve the autistic community in Saudi Arabia.
On my birthday in September, I left Abu Dhabi for Riyadh, for an unforgettable trip. Situated in a commercial cul-de-sac was a large concrete building with a glass door leading to the lobby of the Saudi Autistic Society. As I made my way in, I left the grey of the street behind and walked into a lively setting that popped with the celebratory decorations of Saudi National Day, which was the day before. Banners, flags and ribbons were artfully placed while still showcasing the bookshelves and usual lobby furniture that welcome in guests and accommodate their uniquely-abled community.
Passing through another set of doors, I entered a playroom that rivaled any arcade in the United States. With air hockey, mechanical boxing, pop-a-shot basketball, Dance Dance Revolution and other arcade games, boys and girls under the age of 12 ran around freely in the air conditioning while also having ample opportunities for joint attention and friendship making. I watched as the little ones engaged with the games while the assistants modeled how to play them. At one point, I jumped in to play boxing and two little friends joined me to compete and show me their skills.
We smiled, pointed, and jumped up and down as we looked at the digital scoreboard and cheered for each other. This moment of focused human connection, known as joint attention, circumvented the need for spoken language. This was a good thing in two ways because they were still learning to speak and (also importantly!) our mother tongues were different. We skipped the typical first step, spoken language, and dove into a place of connection.
Interestingly, I found that this ability to connect despite language and customs permeated my visit to the Saudi Autistic Society. Dr. Munther Hamdallah -The Educational Supervisor- led me from the playroom into a board room where I met with the director of the center Dr. Yaser Al-Okail and the directrice of the female program to learn about the origin of the Saudi Autistic Society. While sipping tea and eating chocolates, I learned that HRH Late Prince Turki bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz and his family are responsible for the significant advancements made to autism care in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With great reverence, the team spoke of the continued generosity of the royal family over the lifespan and expansion of the program over the last 27 years and in 4 cities.
I also learned that Saudi Autistic Society is the first association specialized in serving people with autism throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it accommodates the largest number of people with autism of all ages and both sexes, it is considered the representative of the non-profit sector in the field of autism to government agencies, and has contributed to the preparation and dissemination of research and studies related to autism
The gratitude displayed for the royal family spilled into the overall gracious culture of the organization, taking photos of our group together before the directrice of the female program left us to venture along. At the Saudi Autistic Society, boys and girls separate into parallel programs held in separate wings of the building while still receiving the same educational resources and offerings but with gender specific professionals overseeing them. The center provides a place for the autistic community from age 2 to age 40 and serves 530 people at the Riyadh location.
Moving into the male wing of the building, there were two floors of classes, therapy rooms, a working kitchen, a nurse’s office, a de-escalation safe space with an incredible recliner, a social space, and finally vocational production rooms. The fundamental creativity and quality of textiles produced by the vocational students is commercial grade and featured carpets made on looms, intricate paintings on canvas, booklets, woven baskets, mousepads and coasters. Each autistic artist was matched to the textile based on their unique ability to maximize their potential and grow further. My hands were full of each of these items as Dr. Munther and his team took items down from the walls to give me as a welcome gesture. He introduced me to the professionals working behind the doors including a BCBA who is also an SLP, a rare but treasured combination, as well as an Arts Therapist from Sudan. At one point, we realized that we were a virtual United Nations standing in the hallway with our nationalities representing North America, Africa and the Middle East, all with the unified interest of helping make the lives easier of those with autism.
Leaving the male wing of the building was hard because I was able to truly see the authentic relationships that the leadership had with each teacher, assistant, therapist, and student. They were close to one another and their interests were aligned. Pulling myself away from that team was not easy. But with thanks I said goodbye and went behind a curtain to knock on the door of the female wing. It was opened by a woman who led me around the two floors that had identical programming to the boy’s side. I saw their textiles, spoke with the experts, walked into their warm classrooms, and felt the energy of the space. The women worked like bees in a beehive to maximize the experience of each person.
As my tour was winding down, an occupational therapist, Asma, who was giving exceptional care to the elementary aged kiddos, offered to spend the afternoon with me to show me Riyadh. We quickly became forever friends as we bonded over our love of kids, family, friends, fancy coffee and delicious food. She shines(!) and the care that she gives to the autistic community extends into every other aspect of her dynamic life.
Learning about autism care in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was richly educational. Since I am the mother of a 13-year-old boy who is the literal sunshine of my soul, but also needs the most resources, I am constantly looking for a few specific things in my explorations of clinical autism centers. First, I am looking for real compassion and understanding from the adults working with the clientele. Next, I look for them to be educated and well-trained with an insatiable hunger to engage deeply in the work. Then, I find out how long programming lasts for those within the community. And lastly, I am seeking to understand how aggressive, self-injurious, and toileting behaviors are handled since some clinics are not open to supporting some of those most challenging aspects of the diagnosis.
From that visit, my takeaway is that the Saudi Autistic Society hits all four marks that I look for within its proper cultural context to ensure a high standard of care. Using a less scientific lens, it’s been my experience that you can judge the quality of the care based on those who are giving it. The feeling of the heart was palpable in all corners of the winged building and extended into the rest of my stay. Asma gave me her time over the next two days to show me her favorite spots in Riyadh and to show me the history of the country. We ate, we danced in the street, we walked and talked and explored markets and coffee spots together. It laid the groundwork for our next chapter, which hints at autism and fashion.
More to come!