What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? According to the medical experts, ASD is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behaviour. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is said to be a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of age.
Autism is known as a “spectrum disorder” because there is a wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience. People with ASD have difficulty in communication and interaction with other people; restricted interests and repetitive behaviour, and symptoms that hurt the person’s ability to function properly in school, at work and other areas of life.
Autism is curable through art. This commendable and good news from the health point of view has been given by Lahore-based creative artist Saima Shahzad on the basis of her year-long research on “Autism and Healing With Art” during which she had interacted with large number of young and old Autism Spectrum Disorders sufferers in connection with her Final MPhil Thesis at the College of Art and Design, Punjab University, Old Campus, in Lahore. In the display of her thesis, she had displayed art works of autistic persons , the majority being of young age, with her to amply show that even with this problem they can function beyond normality. This little piece is based on this scribe’s interaction with her on this quite interesting subject.
Saima Shahzad, who has inherited the aesthetic abilities and artistic skills from her parents, became familiar with autism when her struggle started with the birth of first baby boy who faced certain challenges. Prior to this her focus was on commercial art but she switched to work for autism due to their hidden abilities and also chose the subject “Autism & Healing With Art” for her MPhil thesis.
She has a lot to talk about the experience she had while interacting with young and old ASD sufferers. As briefly mentioned above also, she has created a space in her studio for children who want to learn art or tend to improve their behaviour, and lives with its medicinal powers and concludes by saying “My aim is to give them vocational art training that can at least help them becoming financially stable or independent in the future because this is the prime and major concern of their parents and families, what would happen to them after they are gone?”. She must be encouraged, patronized and supported for accomplishing her cherished objectives.
She is so dedicated and concerned with autism now that she has already turned her studio into a place where she takes art sessions and explores the brighter side of autism with children and adults who suffer from this neurological issue as a vocational training to let them learn a skill that can help them in building and establishing a promising future for themselves and their families. She has started this commendable work with her limited resources as she says quite emphatically. “This is the age when our new generation and youth is suffering depression and anxiety and art certainly and surely has the healing and medicinal power and helps in improving behaviour and reduces stress just like catharsis”.
She has requested the Federal Government to provide a platform so that she can start a proper vocational training institution, exhibit artwork of ASD sufferers to promote their abilities, give them a skill and improve their lifestyle.
Saima Shahzad do not want to restrict herself only working for Autism Spectrum Disorder but also is keen to work for other neurological conditions like Down’s Syndrome, Schizophrenia and others.
Saima Shahzad is a gold medalist in Fine Arts, worked as a commercial artist for more than a decade and only recently completed her MPhil from the Punjab University College of Art and Design, has painted as a freelancer , taught as an art teacher at the school and university levels for varying durations, and exhibited her creative work in many exhibitions .
Talking about the turning point in her life, she says “ There is a turning point in everyone’s life, struggle and constant effort which exposes many factors and phases of life, it is like peeling of these phases layer by layer and every single phase has its own colour and is hiding a surprise….The birth of my first child with certain health problems changed my perceptions about life and led me to adopt a specific mindset, gradually changed my point of about what life really is and my future goals as well”.
Accordingly, she joined an inclusive school system as an art teacher, got an opportunity to work with neurodiverse children without any particular training in this regard, but was helped by motherly instincts in doing this impossible task. there was a teen student who suffered from autism and had a zilch interest in arts and directing him towards arts was her first ever experiment. This created an urge in her to work with neurodiverse people as she has a passion for accomplishing impossible tasks. While doing research work for her MPhil, she created a hand painted book describing the struggle of parents who have differently abled children.
She strongly believes that Autism has a divine as well as spiritual connection with art because it comes from their soul and ASD suffering children are exceptionally blessed, and art has medicinal powers that can heal them.
She has a lot to talk about the experience she had while interacting with young and old ASD sufferers. As briefly mentioned above also, she has created a space in her studio for children who want to learn art or tend to improve their behaviour, and lives with its medicinal powers and concludes by saying “My aim is to give them vocational art training that can at least help them becoming financially stable or independent in the future because this is the prime and major concern of their parents and families, what would happen to them after they are gone ?”. She must be encouraged, patronized and supported for accomplishing her cherished objectives.
