"Love takes no thought for itself". This is the philosophy of an autism rehabilitation home in Jilin.
Before the visit, I did not know anything about autism, except that children with autism do not want to talk to other people.
"Autism is innate, and babies have autism when they are in their mother's belly," said Brother Liu, the head of Morningstar Autism Rehabilitation Home. He added that there is currently no conclusive medical evidence that neurodevelopmental disorders, genetic mutations, or environmental factors are the causes of autism.
Located in Yushu City, Jilin Province, Morningstar Autism Rehabilitation Home has classrooms, activity rooms, fitness rooms, recreation rooms, dance rooms, lounges, and a situational teaching supermarket. The supermarket is divided into various areas, which are filled with commonly used items in life, such as toys, fruits, vegetables, tableware, foods, seasonings, grain and oil, beverages, and so on. It is easy for normal children to know these, but very difficult for autistic children. The teachers need to introduce them repeatedly and simulate the purchase and payment.
"These children are good-looking, aren't they?" Brother Liu greets the children and communicates their situation with the teachers.
Yixuan, Endian, and Yinuo, the children, showed us their gains here under the instruction of the teachers. One-on-one teaching is implemented here. The teacher would pay attention to all kinds of situations with the assigned child.
"Yixuan was just 33 months old when he arrived here. He knew nothing, could not speak, had many behavioral problems, and was particularly stubborn." Director Duan of the rehabilitation center introduced himself to us. Now Yixuan can not only talk, but also know many creatures.
A male believer going by the name Liu founded "Morningstar Autism Rehabilitation Home" in March 2021. His eldest son was autistic and was only discovered when he was three. Due to their ignorance of the illness, they missed the best period of rehabilitation treatment. After more than a year of rehabilitation, his son still could not speak. Later, he met Wang Liping, a Doctor of Education at Northeast Normal University and a researcher at Jilin University. She had many years of experience in ABA autism rehabilitation and gave his child rehabilitation training for free. It was not long before his son could speak. With this achievement, Brother Liu came up with the idea of establishing a rehabilitation center and hired Mr. Wang as the instructor to train the teachers.
Since its establishment, more than 40 children have received rehabilitation treatment here under professional teacher guidance and training. Four of them have been transferred to normal schools, and several more children can go to school in September.
Brother Liu said, "The best rehabilitation stage for autistic patients is around two years old." If the patient is not seriously ill, he can go to school with normal children and graduate from junior high and high school through professional rehabilitation training.
Brother Liu said that their goal is to help children under eight years old recover so they can attend normal school and assist older children in recovering in order to find jobs. It was his original intention to escort this group all the way from birth to retirement.
He also showed us around a handwork classroom, where there were all kinds of hand-woven goods. This is a project he is about to start to try to find a way for older children to make a living.
Brother Liu said that the teachers here are paid the lowest salary but help every child with love, patience, and professionalism.
A normal child needs to spend RMB 8,000–10,000 per month to recover, but they only charge less than RMB 5,000 here. "For a county-level urban family, RMB 5,000 is a lot." Some families with difficulties would be visited and granted relief. He also expects more people to care about this group.
According to the WHO report for 2022, the global average prevalence rate of autism is 0.62%, which is equivalent to one autistic child in every 160 children. The latest US data for 2023 reported that the prevalence rate of autism was once again refreshed to 1:36.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
“爱是不求自己的益处”，这一句是吉林一家孤独症康复之家的理念。
在此之前，笔者对自闭症这类群体没有过任何了解，只是知道患有这种病的孩子不愿意与人说话。
“自闭症是天生的，在妈妈肚子里就是自闭症了，”康复之家的负责人刘弟兄介绍道。他说自闭症可能是由神经发育障碍、基因突变和环境因素等原因引起的，但目前医学界并没有明确定论。
“晨星孤独症康复之家”位于吉林省榆树市，有上课教室、活动室、健身室、游乐室、舞蹈室、休息室，还有情景教学超市。教学超市里分了各个区域，都是生活中常用的物品，如：玩具区、水果区、蔬菜区、餐具区、食品区、调料区、粮油区、饮品区等等。这些对正常孩子很容易的东西，对自闭症孩子来说非常艰难。需要反复带他们认识，模拟如何购买，如何付钱。
“这些孩子都很白净、帅气，是吧！”刘弟兄一边和孩子们打招呼，一边和老师交流他们的情况。
逸轩、恩典、以诺……一个个小朋友在老师的指令下向我们展示了他们在这里的收获。这里实行的是一对一教学，一个老师带着一个孩子，全方位关注孩子的各种情况。
“逸轩刚送来的时候33个月，什么都不会，不会说话，行为问题很多，还特别犟。”康复中心的段主任向我们介绍到。现在的小逸轩不仅会说话，还认识了很多生物。
“晨星孤独症康复之家”是一名姓刘的男信徒于2021年3月份创办的，他的大儿子是自闭症，三岁的时候才发现。起初因对病情的无知，也错过了孩子康复治疗的最佳时期。带着孩子康复一年多，还是不会说话，这个期间他碰到了东北师范大学教育学博士、吉林大学研究员王丽萍老师。她具有多年ABA自闭症康复经验，免费给他的孩子做康复训练，没多久他的儿子就能说话了。如此果效，让刘弟兄萌生了创办康复中心的想法，并聘请王老师做指导老师，对中心的老师进行培训。
因为有专业老师指导培训，自创办以来，四十多个孩子在这里接受了康复治疗。其中有四个孩子已经去到正常学校读书，九月份还有几个孩子也可以去读书了。
“自闭症患者最佳康复治疗阶段是在两岁左右。”刘弟兄介绍，如果患者不是重症者，一般通过专业的康复训练，是可以和正常孩子一同上学到初高中毕业的。
刘弟兄表示，他们的目标是，通过康复训练，让小龄（8岁以下）可以康复到正常入学，大龄可以顺利就业。从出生到养老，一路为这个群体保驾护航是他成立这个机构的初衷。
他还带我们参观了一间手工教室，里面摆放着各式各样的手工编织品。这是他即将要尝试的一个项目，为那些大龄患者找一条谋生之路。
刘弟兄说这里的老师，领着最低的工资，用爱心、耐心和专业去帮助每一个孩子。
正常一个小龄康复者一个月需要花费8千到一万不等，他们这里只收取不到五千元。“不过五千对这样一个县级城市家庭来说也很多了。”一些个别困难家庭，他们会去考察给予减免。他也期待越来越多的人能关注到这个群体。
根据世界卫生组织(WHO)2022的报告显示，孤独症全球平均患病率为0.62%，相当于每160个孩子中就有一位自闭症儿童。2023年美国最新的本土数据报告，孤独症患病率再次刷新为1：36。
拜访吉林孤独症康复之家
"Love takes no thought for itself". This is the philosophy of an autism rehabilitation home in Jilin.
Before the visit, I did not know anything about autism, except that children with autism do not want to talk to other people.
"Autism is innate, and babies have autism when they are in their mother's belly," said Brother Liu, the head of Morningstar Autism Rehabilitation Home. He added that there is currently no conclusive medical evidence that neurodevelopmental disorders, genetic mutations, or environmental factors are the causes of autism.
Located in Yushu City, Jilin Province, Morningstar Autism Rehabilitation Home has classrooms, activity rooms, fitness rooms, recreation rooms, dance rooms, lounges, and a situational teaching supermarket. The supermarket is divided into various areas, which are filled with commonly used items in life, such as toys, fruits, vegetables, tableware, foods, seasonings, grain and oil, beverages, and so on. It is easy for normal children to know these, but very difficult for autistic children. The teachers need to introduce them repeatedly and simulate the purchase and payment.
"These children are good-looking, aren't they?" Brother Liu greets the children and communicates their situation with the teachers.
Yixuan, Endian, and Yinuo, the children, showed us their gains here under the instruction of the teachers. One-on-one teaching is implemented here. The teacher would pay attention to all kinds of situations with the assigned child.
"Yixuan was just 33 months old when he arrived here. He knew nothing, could not speak, had many behavioral problems, and was particularly stubborn." Director Duan of the rehabilitation center introduced himself to us. Now Yixuan can not only talk, but also know many creatures.
A male believer going by the name Liu founded "Morningstar Autism Rehabilitation Home" in March 2021. His eldest son was autistic and was only discovered when he was three. Due to their ignorance of the illness, they missed the best period of rehabilitation treatment. After more than a year of rehabilitation, his son still could not speak. Later, he met Wang Liping, a Doctor of Education at Northeast Normal University and a researcher at Jilin University. She had many years of experience in ABA autism rehabilitation and gave his child rehabilitation training for free. It was not long before his son could speak. With this achievement, Brother Liu came up with the idea of establishing a rehabilitation center and hired Mr. Wang as the instructor to train the teachers.
Since its establishment, more than 40 children have received rehabilitation treatment here under professional teacher guidance and training. Four of them have been transferred to normal schools, and several more children can go to school in September.
Brother Liu said, "The best rehabilitation stage for autistic patients is around two years old." If the patient is not seriously ill, he can go to school with normal children and graduate from junior high and high school through professional rehabilitation training.
Brother Liu said that their goal is to help children under eight years old recover so they can attend normal school and assist older children in recovering in order to find jobs. It was his original intention to escort this group all the way from birth to retirement.
He also showed us around a handwork classroom, where there were all kinds of hand-woven goods. This is a project he is about to start to try to find a way for older children to make a living.
Brother Liu said that the teachers here are paid the lowest salary but help every child with love, patience, and professionalism.
A normal child needs to spend RMB 8,000–10,000 per month to recover, but they only charge less than RMB 5,000 here. "For a county-level urban family, RMB 5,000 is a lot." Some families with difficulties would be visited and granted relief. He also expects more people to care about this group.
According to the WHO report for 2022, the global average prevalence rate of autism is 0.62%, which is equivalent to one autistic child in every 160 children. The latest US data for 2023 reported that the prevalence rate of autism was once again refreshed to 1:36.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
Visit to Autism Rehabilitation Home in Jilin
