Category Archives: Articles & Journals

An estimated one per cent of Singapore’s population are affected by autism. Doesn’t sound like much? Considering Singapore’s population is over 5 million, that would mean our country has at least 50,000 individuals with autism – with an estimated 200 new cases diagnosed annually. Despite the considerable numbers, and the fact that the prevalence of […]

SINGAPORE — Be prepared to spend even before you get to the various attractions on Sentosa Island: Chilli crab, sun-block lotion, books and even a drone are now on sale in vending machines installed along the Sentosa Boardwalk. These are all part of a new innovative retail experience to get more people to use the […]

SINGAPORE – Schools here are already committed to ensuring that children with special needs get a full education but the government can only do so much, said Second Minister for Education Indranee Rajah on Monday (March 4). Society and employers also need to be inclusive, she explained. She was responding to questions from four MPs […]

Students with special needs often find it hard to thrive in Singapore’s education system. And during the Ministry of Education’s Committee of Supply debate, Second Minister for Education Indranee Rajah focused on this topic in her speech on Monday, March 4. Compulsory education for students with special education needs According to Indranee, students with moderate […]

Many autistic individuals are not given the opportunity to serve national service, even in non-combat vocations (NS vital as new threats emerge: President; Dec 16, 2018). When they seek employment later in life, their exemption from NS raises red flags among potential employers and severely compromises their ability to secure employment. Autistic individuals who possess […]

DAILY activities which may be taken for granted by some pose a challenge for Nur Alfian Hakim Bin Halim. He said: “Initially, I found bed making and other chores challenging. It was difficult to tuck in the sheets as the mattress was heavy.” But 19-year-old Mr Hakim from MINDS Fernvale Gardens School – who was […]

There is a need to provide housing options for those with special needs. The Housing Board could, for example, consider building an apartment block with affordable soundproofed units for those with autism who can live independently. Those with autism have very particular needs and have difficulty compromising, which means each unit should house only one […]

It’s not often we get the chance to think about and discuss the topic of autism. It doesn’t help that the population of Singaporeans who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is relatively small, and so our likelihood of encountering them is diminished. But it doesn’t change the importance of knowing how to be sensitive, thoughtful, […]

Lue Suan’s Transformation Parents were very worried about Lue Suan’s behaviours. He tends to hit himself or others each time he wasn’t given what he wanted. He also faced lots of difficulty with sitting down and attending to task presented to him. After 4 months of ABA therapy, Lue Suan shown drastic improvements in his […]

There is another overlooked but powerful way to empower autistic individuals – providing competitive insurance services. People with autism have difficulty obtaining insurance products. Insurers become reluctant to accept them as soon as they declare they have an autism diagnosis, even if they are meaningfully employed and have good health. This is especially the case […]