In his own words: QF’s Qader Award has enabled my son to challenge Autism through swimming

When my son, Moheb El-Din, was first diagnosed with Autism at the age of four, my main concern, based on doctors’ advice. was to focus on developing his motor abilities and his behavioral and social skills, as well as to increase his vocabulary and support his academic achievement.

In the beginning, this was not easy mission, due to my limited knowledge about Autism, its causes, and the methods of treatment; and also because I couldn’t dedicate enough time to treat Moheb El-Din and the high cost of the motor and behavioral treatment sessions, which exceeded my financial ability.

My first goal was to work on developing Moheb El-Din’s motor skills through physical exercise, including swimming. And the main problem we faced was how to find a professional swimming trainer who was an expert in training children with Autism at the lowest possible cost, something that was very hard to do.

But when Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Qader Award was established, Moheb El-Din was the first participant in the ability friendly swimming classes that the initiative enabled him to access.

Through his participation in the swimming classes within QF’s Ability Friendly Swimming Program, he was able to make so many positive gains:

• The development of his motor and social communication skills – as his muscles became stronger, it led to a major improvement in his limb coordination and he began to participate in other sport activities, such as jogging and horseback riding.
  
  
• Behavioral improvement – he gained self-confidence while swimming alone or jumping into the pool, following his trainer’s instructions.
  
  
• Significant improvement in the quality of his diet – Moheb El-Din used to eat foods that did not suit a healthy lifestyle, such as sweets and chips. But now, due to the huge effort he makes while swimming, he has shifted to much healthier choices, eating proteins, rice, eggs, milk and fruits such as bananas.
  
  

All these changes have had a positive effected on us as a family, as well as on and friends, and have lifted our spirits. We have greater hopes for Mohb El-Din’s future and are optimistic about his prospects for social integration, for engaging with other children, and for being independent.

Through Moheb El-Din’s success story, he has proved the saying “Autism is different, not less” to be true. He has shown that he can prove himself in so many different aspects of life – socially, academically and in sports – and that he can be an productive individual in society. However, this is only possible through him having ongoing support and care, and also an environment that understands the needs and requirements of children with Autism.

I want to thank Qatar Foundation for its consideration and care for our children, in all areas of life, and the administrative and training staff of the Qader Award and QF’s Ability Friendly Swimming Program.

QF’s Qader Award offers families and individuals with specific needs the opportunity to participate in its Ability Friendly Swimming and Football Programs at no cost.

For more information about the programs and the award, email abilityfriendly@qf.org.qa. To apply for the Qader Award, please visit www.qf.org.qa/qaderaward