UAE families spend up to Dh50,000 per month on caring for autistic child

UAE families spend up to Dh50,000 per month on caring for autistic child

Published: Tue 2 Apr 2024, 7:36 PM Last updated: Tue 2 Apr 2024, 7:39 PM

Parenting a child with autism presents distinctive challenges, particularly in the face of escalating living costs. UAE families may bear a monthly financial expenditure of up to Dh50,000 to raise a child with autism, according to an expert from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Middle East.

Marking World Autism Day, PwC Middle East has released a comprehensive report titled ‘From awareness to action – Elevating autism care in the GCC for meaningful change’ exploring autism spectrum disorder in the GCC region.

According to the report, the true prevalence of autism in the GCC is still uncertain, as conflicting studies suggest varying rates. Autism rates in Bahrain, for instance, are reported to be as low as 4.3 per 10,000 children while in Saudi Arabia, Oman and UAE these rates range between 20-29 per 10,000, and more than 30 in Qatar and Kuwait.

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The report pointed out that the financial cost of autism care in the GCC is significant, with families facing substantial costs for treatment and education.

Lina Shadid, health industries lead at PwC Middle East, said the economic and social impacts