With Autism Awareness Day being marked on April 2, one wonders how much awareness there is of autism in the community. After all, when one is out and about in public spaces such as shopping malls, foodcourts, supermarkets, public transport and places of worship, one hardly encounters such individuals. 

This is even though autism is fairly common in Singapore, being diagnosed in one in every 150 children, as reported in 2016. This is higher than the World Health Organisation’s global figure of one in 160 children.

The Enabling Masterplan 2030, published in 2022, reported that autism had increased by 5 per cent over the previous three years.

Assuming that this incidence has not decreased, it is reasonable to deduce that a substantial number of our young are grappling with this challenging condition.

A more precise and timely estimate of how common autism is in Singapore is urgently needed. Since all Singaporean children, including those with special needs, must attend school, it should be possible to obtain annual estimates of its incidence. This estimate will get better with the push to diagnose autism early in childhood. 

Estimates of the incidence as well as the prevalence of autism can be included in Singapore’s National Population Health Survey. This will serve to raise awareness of the magnitude of this public health issue and play a significant role in directing national resources towards helping autistic persons and furthering research into autism and its management. 

With innovative solutions, one may hope that there will be improvements in the lives of autistic persons in Singapore, particularly in terms of gainful lifelong employment, social integration and quality of life. 

Daniel Ng Peng Keat