The results of a survey conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, during the first half of this year, included four emirates in the country, to assess the level of development of the stages of child development, the need for 12% of those surveyed to the intervention of specialists, at a time when the number of users applied » NEMO, launched by the ministry to help parents to detect the possibility of a disability in their children, 6,678 people.
Wafaa Suleiman, director of the Ministry of Welfare and Rehabilitation of People of Determination, told the Emirates Today that the ministry's team carried out a field survey, which included a random sample of 375 children, distributed to the emirates of Dubai, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Of the respondents, 12% needed either early intervention to further assess a delay and to identify a treatment program if necessary, or a need for family counseling, to deal with a particular aspect of the survey. Dealing with possible cases of disability requires many tests and follow-up before an effective treatment intervention plan can be developed.
Regarding the importance of the Nomouj project, Bin Sulaiman said that the application has achieved a remarkable turnout from various segments of society within the UAE and abroad, given its practical value for parents, in terms of identifying the abilities of their children in six developmental areas, including the sides of the big muscles and small muscles. The social aspect, the communicative aspect, as well as the self-care, as well as the behavioral aspect that concerns the initial signs of the development of autistic children.
She pointed out that «Nomu» is the only application available in Arabic, which tracks the development of children under six in a group, and helps parents in monitoring signs of the status of the child in developmental areas, which serves in two important things: the first in the detection of delays The development of many children before disability occurs, and the other in alerting and guiding parents towards specialized early intervention programs, which put the child on the path of care and treatment required, and prevent the deterioration of the level of disability.
She continued that the application is in line with international best practices, which have proven effective detection and early intervention, during the first five years of the child's age, and the role of intervention in determining the path of future development. She explained that the use of the application is readily available, and that it is an economic way to detect the initial condition of the child, so it has a great positive return for the child and family in the long run.
Intervention centers
The use of the mother or family «Nmow» application of intervention centers, affiliated to the Ministry of Community Development, in reaching the cases of children with developmental delays. The relevant team in the ministry sends notifications from time to time to the family, in order to re-test the child, follow-up aspects of their development, and refer them to specialists in the state when needed.
• 6.8 thousand used «growth», to make sure that there is no hidden disability in their children.