DEPUTY Speaker of Parliament and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua has called for greater awareness and urgent action to support children living with autism, highlighting the need for more inclusive education systems.
Speaking in Parliament last week, Ms Qereqeretabua stressed that misconceptions about autism must be addressed.
“Rigorous large-scale studies have thoroughly debunked persistent myths, suggesting that vaccinations, cold parenting styles, specific diets or even exposure to mobile devices cause autism,” she said.
“These have been debunked because the core characteristics of autism are tied to how the brain is structured and wired. It is not a condition that can be caught, triggered by childhood trauma, or developed through environmental factors like screen time, which may influence behaviour, but do not alter a person’s underlying neurobiology.”
She said families continue to face daily challenges navigating systems that are not designed to support their children.
Ms Qereqeretabua highlighted the limited specialised support available, noting that centres such as the Pacific Autism Centre in Suva are carrying much of the burden.
She called for urgent reforms.
“So, the question is not whether more needs to be done. The question is, when.”
