Don’t let go of my hand: Why a father’s presence matters for a child with autism

Doha, Qatar: During a special event at the school, Abdullah Al Muhannadi, a student at Renad academy, part of Qatar Foundation s Pre University Educat...

Doha, Qatar: During a special event at the school, Abdullah Al-Muhannadi, a student at Renad academy, part of Qatar Foundation’s Pre-University Education, proudly stood before his peers and teachers. Spotting his father among the attendees, Abdullah waved enthusiastically and announced, "This is my father."

Abdullah’s desire for everyone to know who his father was is a direct reflection of the support his father – Lawyer Khalid Al-Muhannadi has shown him. Since Abdullah was diagnosed with autism, his father has stood by him like a rock, literally and figuratively holding his hand through everything, be it the school corridors of their majlis – a sitting room used for social gatherings.

“Since Abdullah was diagnosed with autism, I realized my critical role as a father and reorganized my priorities. My number one goal became to care for my son and develop his skills to facilitate his integration into society,” said Al-Muhannadi.

“I did not withdraw into myself, and I did not feel embarrassed about my son’s condition, but rather I embraced it with pride.”