When her toddler did not meet her gaze and lacked interest in playing with other children of his age, Dr Sung Min got anxious. Seeing her son miss milestones, Dr Sung, a senior consultant at the Department of Developmental Psychiatry at Singapore’s Institute of Mental Health (IMH), panicked.
When he was eventually diagnosed with autism, the child psychiatrist was relieved – and grieved. The gaps in understanding of the condition then also caused confusion and undue stress to her as a parent. Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder. It affects how a person interacts with others, in terms of how they communicate, learn, and behave in different settings and environments.
Through her own experience with her son, Dr Sung, with a team of three, established autism services at IMH in 2006.
The 56-year-old has since been involved in several research projects, including the effects of cognitive behaviour therapy on anxiety in children with ASD in 2011, a study on omega-3 fatty acids in the management of ASD in 2015, a study on coping and well-being in parents of children with ASD, also in 2015 and one on supporting individuals with ASD in medical settings during the pandemic, in 2020.
UNDERSTANDING AUTISM IN THE EARLY DAYS
For most parents of children with ASD, their initial reaction is, “What is wrong with my child?” and upon diagnosis, “I wish I knew this diagnosis earlier.”
Dr Sung said: “I went through the grief process of coping with the acceptance of a child with special needs.”
She admitted that the process was humbling and it took years for her to come to terms with her son’s diagnosis. “I had unrealistic expectations of him in his younger years, which led to difficulties with him coping and resulting in challenging behaviour.” When her now 29-year-old son, Hui Tian You, was growing up, he struggled with the demands of school and acted out.
The teenage years were particularly tough as her son had trouble regulating his emotions daily. “My husband and I, including his teachers, focused mainly on managing his emotional and behavioural issues.”
It was only after attending a day activity centre in his late teens and adult years that he became more settled. The family switched him from an academic focus to one with a more functional, vocational and leisure-based curriculum.
Tian You now has lessons with special needs teachers for functional learning. He is at the centre from 10am to 3.30pm, and does daily activities such as cooking, baking, laundry, even area cleaning. He also enjoys a range of sports, such as swimming, pickleball, gym, rollerblading, and hiking. He even attends a church which caters to those with special needs.
A MOTHER’S INSIGHT
Dr Sung oversees autism services at IMH and her team’s research focus is on the mental health of young persons with autism.
She attributes her journey to establishing autism services at IMH to her son. “I hoped to create a resource and avenue of support for other parents and children navigating the challenges of autism, and offering them the support and guidance I once sought.”
“Autism is a lifelong diagnosis and I deeply empathise with the desire of many parents like myself to explore novel treatment options when traditional ones are limited,” Dr Sung said. Her personal understanding is the driving force behind her commitment to finding innovative but safe and ethical ways to manage autism. She told CNA Women that her work has expanded over the years into a comprehensive multi-disciplinary programme that seeks to empower families on their journey with autism.
Dr Sung also ensures that clinicians in the department stay ahead of the latest research and developments so that they, in turn, can provide informed guidance to families.
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH RESEARCH, ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS
When her son was young, medical advancement did not have the tools for her to accurately diagnose his condition earlier. Dr Sung sought to use what she knew, both as a parent and as a medical professional, to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and lived experience. Her current research project is the Building Resilience and Intervention (BRAVE) study, which is part of a 10-year project by IMH to support and track the development of youth mental health. The study focuses on screening and diagnosis for ASD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression.
Participants will be screened for these issues and invited to undergo a comprehensive assessment to establish the diagnosis. They will be assessed on their social communication skills, evaluating attention and activity levels for ADHD and measuring their focus or activity, and also understanding their emotional well-being, determining signs of anxiety or depression.
Thereafter, participants who have signs of mental health conditions will receive recommendations for early intervention.
This phase of the BRAVE study will reach out to a random selection of 40,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents born between 2007 and 2016 but also invites interested parents with children to participate. Find out more and register here.
Because there is no real cure for autism, Dr Sung firmly believes that research will further advance the diagnosis, the treatment of and support for families of children with autism.
