Over the past 4 years, every Saturday, the ‘Song Doc Lap’ (Independent Living) Club members who suffer from intelligent disabilities in Da Nang’s Hai Chau District eagerly join beneficial activities at the municipal Centre for Social Work Services at 64 Dong Da Street.

A new member from the Independent Living Club receiving psychological therapies at the municipal Centre for Social Work Services

The venue is considered to be a ‘common house’ for these children, and a special place in which their parents repose their trust with the hope of more positive improvements in their beloved children’s progress.

Amongst the participants is a little boy who suffers from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is a mental disorder of the neurodevelopmental type. However, this boy shows his keen interest in painting at the Centre, and he could not hide his joy with his lovely works.

It is the fact that arts therapy creates a lot of benefits for children with autism as they can show off their feelings through images and colours which couldn’t be expressed through words. Also, holding and working with a paintbrush strengthens motor skills and stimulated brain connections. This effective method also improves concentration and emotional intelligence, removes autistic children from their chaotic reality, and frees them from anxiety and stress.

Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Phuong from Hai Chau District happily said her child with intelligent disabilities has showed considerable improvements through the participation in the Independent Living club.

Ms Tran Nhu Ngoc, who is in charge of managing the club, said all the 10 members of her club are diagnosed with such common types of intelligent disabilities as Down syndrome, autism, and ADHD.

She said trainers from the Centre must take the trouble to spend several weeks offering psychological therapies to these children before they are admitted to the club for joint activities.

It is really a tough task to manage children with intelligent disabilities, especially those with autism spectrum disorder. During times of transition or change, these children may be more likely to have tantrums, aggressive behavior, and show resistance.

Regardless of the difficulties, and with their great efforts and special love for these misfortune children, the trainers wholeheartedly help autistic children get overcome their aggression, learn to rein in disruptive behaviour, and enjoy a much more positive relationship with others around. Thanks to this, many of them have shown their outstanding improvements in their physical and mental progress.

Ms Truong Thi Nhu Hoa, the Centre’s Director said many parents of these children always express their great happiness as they see their beloved children doing such very simple actions as painting, sweeping a floor, or arranging furniture orderly.

She said, to date, a similar club has been set up in Ngu Hanh Son District with 6 members.

Currently, there are a total of over 1,000 children with intelligent disabilities across the city.

In an attempt to satisfy the increasing demand amongst those with intelligent disabilities for meaningful treatment activities, in the coming time, more district and ward/commune-level Independent Living clubs are expected to make their debuts, with the intention of helping to promote their overall physical and mental development.