Mum takes on special education course to help autistic son
GEORGE TOWN: A mother of an autistic child pursued an advance diploma in special education with the aim of providing her son with a better learning experience.
Entrepreneur Carmen Eng, 48, who has a law degree, said she had no regrets enrolling herself in the one-year course at College of Allied Educators Malaysia in mid-2016.
“I just wanted to find out more about special needs education and how I could help my son. About 30% of students in the class were parents, with most others being teachers. It was good to meet other parents with special needs children,” she said during the Autism Acceptance Run 2019 at the Straits Quay Marina Mall here yesterday.
She said Neoh Rayhan, 15, was diagnosed with autism at the age of three.
“My husband and I didn’t know about autism at that time and were shocked when we heard the news,” she said. Husband Alax Neoh, 49, said it was not easy for him to accept his son’s condition.
“I saw it as a curse but then realised it was truly a blessing. It took a while, now we make an effort to show him love and care,” he said.
The couple, who also have a 17-year-old daughter, were among 1,800 people who took part in the run organised by the Penang First Assembly of God Church (Chinese) with support from, among others, the state government, Youth and Sports Ministry, Penang Hospital and Penang Island City Council.
The run – over 6km and 1.5km – was flagged off at 7am and 7.15am respectively.
During the event, Rayhan also contributed several pieces of artwork which were put up for sale at between RM300 and RM1,000 each.
Other autistic children also put up their artwork for sale.
To view the artwork, go to the “only1artcentre” Facebook page.