Severe under diagnosis in Iran

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According to Charity Foundation for Special Diseases, some 700,000 Iranians are estimated to suffer from autism, though only 3,000 autistics have been diagnosed in the country till date.

Only 6 schools in Tehran accept children suffering from autism, he highlighted, adding “Most kindergartens refuse to enroll these kids.”

Majid Qadami, the director of the Special Education Organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education, mentioned plans for establishing schools for children with autism in Tehran in December 2017.

The Iranian Parliament’s recognition of autism as a “special disease” will have positive and negative consequences for persons living with the disability in Iran according to an Iranian disability rights advocate.

“Of course the steps taken by Parliament should be applauded as they do help cover some of the expenses previously incurred by families,” the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for their personal security, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).

“But the issue is that an autistic child needs a team of helpers including a psychiatrist, speech therapist, occupational therapist and doctor who have to work side by side,” said the source.

“The budget allocation is only for medical and pharmaceutical needs for special diseases,” added the source. “Therefore, this is ultimately a costly label (for people with autism).”

The new designation was incorporated into the country’s March 2018-19 budget a few weeks before World Autism Day on April 2. It will allow people with autism to benefit from state assistance including subsidized drug prices allocated for people with “special illnesses,” which include medical conditions such as AIDS and hemophilia.

However, it fails to categorize autistic people as “persons with disabilities”—the correct designation for autism according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities (CRPD).

“The ‘special disease’ designation will further isolate and segregate those with autism, which directly opposes the purpose of the CRPD,” added the source.

The categorization of autism as a “special disease” also has limited practical benefits because it only makes autistic people eligible for medical and pharmaceutical costs.