IPOH: Parents must recognise the potential in their special children and provide them with the necessary support from an early age, said the Prime Minister.

“Medical experts have said that special children have potential. All they need is education and guidance to enable them to become productive individuals,” said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He also urged parents to register their special children with community rehabilitation centres.

Najib said in Budget 2011, the Government had allocated RM218mil for the disabled.

Parents, he added, must equip themselves with knowledge that could help prevent their children from developing permanent physical or mental disabilities.

“If a child has a high fever, for instance, and we fail to take the necessary steps to lower the body temperature, it could lead to him or her being disabled for life.

“The easiest method is to place an ice pack on the child's forehead, but not many parents are aware of such remedial actions,” he said at the launch of an early intervention campaign at the Indera Mulia Stadium here yesterday.

Also present was his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor in her capacity as president of the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti).

In her speech earlier, Rosmah said autistic children possessed high levels of imagination and were capable of performing certain skills with speed and accuracy.

She urged parents to nurture the special gifts of their children, adding that parents of special children should not wallow in regret or self-pity.

On the early intervention campaign, Rosmah said it was a joint effort bet-ween Bakti, Perak government, charities and the private sector.

“The programme prepares autistic children for formal schooling,” she added.

Besides talks on autism, there is also a 13-episode documentary which made its debut on TV1 at 9.30pm yesterday.