Speeches and Articles by Former Consul General James B. Cunningham

Remarks by U.S. Consul General James B. Cunningham
Asian Autism Conference 2006
August 13, 2006
The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine

(As Delivered)

Mr. Tang, Mr. Kwok and members of the Autism Parents Network in Hong Kong, Mr. Humphrey, doctors, caregivers, ladies and gentlemen ― it's my pleasure to be able to join you today at this historic event, the first-ever autism conference in Hong Kong and the first such conference in Asia where medical and behavioral dimensions of Autism Spectrum Disorder are being presented in the same forum. Thank you for inviting me today to give some brief remarks as part of your valuable program.

First, I'd like to commend the work of the Autism Parents Network Foundation in Hong Kong, which was the driving force in organizing this weekend's conference. I applaud also the Autism Society of America, the oldest and largest grassroots society in the U.S. autism community, for endorsing the conference in Hong Kong and signing on as a sister organization with the local Network Foundation. We hope this international cooperation (U.S.-HK and others in Asia) can yield far-reaching successes in further understanding this developmental disorder and in developing effective treatments.

Many parents, physicians and educators have experience with developmental and learning disorders that have become prevalent in school age children. Many may not realize, however, that the U.S. statistic – one in 166 children is affected with autism – is applicable to children in Asia as well. Autism spares no race, region, or ethnicity. Our friends in the Asia-Pacific region face the same challenges we do in identifying and treating autistic children. Education is a necessary first step.

The good news is that awareness of the disorder is increasing every day, in my country as well. What is needed now is to bridge the gap in making resources available for autism treatment across Asia. To achieve this - as I understand their activities - the Autism Parents Network is working to provide opportunities for, and remove impediments to, effective treatment. The organization, through this gathering, hopes to improve understanding of advances made overseas in treatment methods, correct misconceptions about autism, and strengthen the framework for managing treatment strategies, addressing all dimensions of diagnosis and treatment and, very importantly, helping parents to make informed decisions.

It's very encouraging that this conference addresses the needs and concerns of all of the relevant caregivers of autistic children - from parents to doctors and social workers - and brings together some of the best minds from the U.S. and Asia in autism treatment and research to share their insights and work on improving treatment methods.

It's a particular honor for me to recognize U.S. leadership in the fight against autism. Many of the speakers at the conference are top specialists in autism research and treatment in the United States, and several U.S. corporations and entities are helping to sponsor the conference, among them Harvard Medical School, Hewlett Packard, Disney, Baker & McKenzie and others.

I am also heartened to learn that the conference is just a first step in a deliberate effort to bring more high quality resources for treatment to Asia. Mr. Tang and others have informed me that you are already celebrating some successful outcomes before the conference has even concluded. For example, I've learned you have already secured support to start a new school for autistic children in Hong Kong and are working with leading U.S. medical institutions to set up Asia's first autism treatment center in Bangkok. If these are simply your initial results, I look forward to hearing about even more successes in the near future.

As this audience knows, autism among young children has already reached epidemic proportions globally and is increasing at a stunning rate, even compared with autism statistics of just 20 years ago. Parental groups such as the Autism Parents Network in Hong Kong are fundamental in generating the interest and action necessary to remove the mystery surrounding the cause, diagnosis and treatment of autism. We applaud the Autism Parents Network for organizing this conference and seeking to empower parents and families with the knowledge and training to play a key role in tackling and managing a complex and debilitating disorder.

I congratulate you on your successful conference, and all of us in the United States look forward to working with our partners in Asia and Hong Kong to make significant strides forward in understanding and successfully treating autism.

Thank you.

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