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Lyna Mohammad Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Aliuddin Izz Firas, now 20, is an individual possessing creative talents that continue to amaze his parents. “One thing unique about him is his strong interest in drawing and playing the organ, which he never ever learnt anywhere nor did we teach him at home,” said Aliuddin’s mother, Hajah Faridah binti Haji Taufek, in an interview with the *Bulletin*. She added they noticed his musical talent while he was playing the organ when he was young. She said he would listen to the song on YouTube once and immediately pick up and play the song’s music on his organ. Seeing their child being gifted with this talent, lifted their spirits and motivated them to guide on his passion for playing music. They also purchased an organ for him to play at home. “Aliuddin never fails to amaze us when he plays the organ. I feel blessed that despite his struggles as an autistic child, he is gifted with natural talent. We enjoy listening to him playing songs that we know and hum along as we do our house-hold chores.” He is a talented artist. He has produced hundreds of drawings with Hajah Faridah ensuring that each drawing is organised and stored neatly and carefully to prevent them from getting damaged. ![](https://media.everythingbrunei.com/public/gHcDMc-YEO4l3nYxIzyLm-JgAQYOlRw1GTjqEj_oU4e.jpeg) ![](https://media.everythingbrunei.com/public/4V2tazdt4c2nlylov-uAr-eZtpHV60tiV-R9-bLC5Q6.jpeg) Hajah Faridah binti Haji Taufek and her son Aliuddin Izz Firas during an interview with the Bulletin. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD Aliuddin draws whatever comes to his mind. Once he has time to draw, he begins working on it. His favourites are cartoon characters from comic books, added Hajah Faridah. Talents aside, Hajah Faridah also shared the struggle and challenges of bringing up a child with autism. Bringing up a child with autism is a challenge for parents, especially when having to care for their child with autism for the first time, Hajah Faridah said. She and her husband found out Aliuddin Izz Firas was autistic at the age of three after taking him to Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital where he was then referred to the Child Development Centre (CDC). Finding out from the doctor that her son was autistic, it broke Hajah Faridah’s heart. However, as a mother, she took it positively and trained him from home while attending to programmes conducted by CDC. She shared that a child with autism possesses differences in behaviour, mood and struggles to express themselves or how they feel. One main challenge they encounter is when he wants something or is upset about something, but finds it difficult to express in words. He is quick to remember and memorise on words and actions, but it all depends on his mood. He does not like to be forced into doing something he doesn’t like.” Being at the adult age he is now, Hajah Faridah continues to monitor his development. What she usually does is give him a sense of responsibility for each task according to his capability. “It is not an easy task to handle and to look after or care for a child with autism. It needs a lot of sacrifices and patience.” There may be some parents, especially those who are just new to handling autistic children, who struggle at the early stage but gradually, are able to go with the flow. One key factor to do so is by actively interacting with the child and guiding them by assisting them in carrying out a task instilling a sense of responsibility in them. She also shared that parents need to be sensitive, think positive and inculcate religious studies for autistic children, and guiding them in a soft yet firm way. “I believe that the key to the independence of an autistic child lies very much on the parents, as education starts from home just like other children. Parents also need to be active in communication and discussions with teachers at the school the child is attending on matters pertaining to autistic children.” She added that apart from medical care and therapies, there are simple and everyday things to help an autistic child that makes a difference to them and helps to stay focus on the positives. “One common thing that I believe most of parents do is to praise them for whatever they are doing well to make them feel good. Just like others, children with autism often respond well to positive reinforcement.”

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