The State Welfare Organization will allocate 3.6 million rials ($100) per child in subsidies to autism treatment centers. The amount will be paid directly to 54 autism care centers across Iran. Families would have to pay the other 1.5 million rials ($40) for the services offered by the special centers. A list of the treatment centers operating across 30 provinces in the country has been published on the SWO’s online portal. An estimated 2,000 autistic kids are treated at these centers. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child’s life. World Autism Awareness Day is globally observed on April 2 every year since 2008. Tehran’s Nature Bridge was mobbed by children and parents with blue attire on the day.
