Dubai Autism Center (DAC)

Founded in 2001, Dubai Autism Center (DAC) is a non-profit organization based in Dubai (UAE) dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with autism and their families. Dubai Autism Center (DAC) mission is to successfully integrate children with Autism into the community through our holistic approach to intervention and therapies, together with our focused efforts to create social awareness about Autism. Dubai Autism Center has successful track record of delivering excellent services and providing counseling to children with Autism, their families and caretakers. As a non-profit organization, we depend on the generosity of foundations, establishments and individuals to ensure that we reach our goals and continue to serve this sector of the community.

Over the past decade DAC has become one of the most innovative non profit organizations providing information, support, advice and training to professionals and parents of children with Autism. The Centre has also been active in spreading awareness and promoting understanding through targeted messages and out reach programs.

A center of excellence having highly trained professionals to provide accredited programs to support individuals with Autism and their families, to be an internationally recognized Autism consultancy center for the region.

To successfully integrate children with Autism into the community through our holistic approach to intervention and therapies, together with our focused efforts to create social awareness about Autism.

The Training Division at Dubai Autism Center DAC would like to request applications from all interested scientists, researchers, academicians, and experts in the field of Autism. We welcome suggestions and proposals for specialized workshops, courses and lectures to be conducted during 2011.

At the Dubai Autism Center we believe in the importance of the Early Intervention program. Studies and research prove the progress that occurs in children when they enroll in early intervention educational programs. The Early Intervention department at DAC was established with specialized therapists qualified to deal with young children with Autism in 2004.

In addition to the Early Intervention Program, the center offers services for older children with Autism aged between 5-10 years. The focus is on educational programs based on IEP's (individual educational programs), and involves various therapies.

Research indicates that early diagnosis is associated with dramatically better outcomes for individuals with Autism. Diagnosis, Assessment and Behavioral Modification are the major responsibilities of this unit.

The communication impairment in Autism is very complex, and affects the whole communication system. DAC created this unit to cover the need of Speech and Language therapies.

Occupational therapy is a health care profession that deals with the individual's participation in achieving maximum independence through the use of activities (occupation).

Movement therapy is based on physical exercises and different body movements which supply the body with sensations to make them more aware of their body parts when they move.

Art is a beneficial form of therapy for individuals with Autism and related disabilities. Art is the therapeutic use of art making.

Computer Assisted Therapy is one of the pre-vocational trainings which is therapeutic as well educational. The fact that these children are visual learners and thinkers, computer areas such as typing, editing & designing could lead to future employment.

Communication using a keyboard and mouse and reception with a visual document on the screen is easier than verbal communication, especially for children with Autism.

Music therapy is an interactive intervention that provides a process through which children can express themselves.

There are no medical or genetic tests that can detect autism. A diagnosis of Autism requires a sensitive and experienced doctor to observe the child very carefully, ask the parents about the development of the child and then objectively follow internationally recognized criteria for diagnosis. There is no single behavioral or communication test that can detect Autism, several screening instruments have been developed that are now being used in diagnosing Autism.