Four years after creation, Autism center opens in Casablanca
Morocco, Health, 10/18/2000

Four years after its creation, a center for autistic children finally opened in Casablanca by the SOS autism association, reported "L'Economiste" daily.

According to the association chairwoman, Oum Keltoum Dialmy -mother of a 13-year old autistic child- the goal is to set up education and support structures that would enable autistic persons to integrate society.

The association founders said the structure needs an investment ranging between 200,000 DH and 250,000 DH ($ 1.8 mln and $ 2.27 Mln). If we do not receive state subsidies, we will be forced to close the center. We are living on private donations, they said.

They are also convinced that integrated structures need to be opened in schools and hospitals to avoid the exclusion of autistic children. A psychologist explains that in addition to autism-specific troubles, 75% of affected children suffer from mental retardation and 30 to 40% are epileptic. Estimates say there are about 26,000 autistic persons in Morocco.

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