Nearly 500 families with autistic children across China have benefited from Xingxingyu since Tian Huiping, whose 15-year-old son was diagnosed as autistic 11 years ago, founded it in 1993.

So far 10 children, who have gone through the school's short-term training programs, have been accepted by normal schools and special schools, including Tian's son, who stayed at Xingxingyu for two years.

More than 600,000 Chinese have been diagnosed with autism, 500,000 of them children.

But other than Xingxingyu, there is no hospital on China's mainland or any other facility specializing in taking care of autistic children.

Tian said that her center does not attempt to cure children with autism.

"The most we can hope for is to draw these special-needs pre-school children out of their own world into a normal reality," said Tian.

The facility enrolls special-needs children, aged between three and six, who work with their parents on 10-week training programs that cost 3,000 yuan (US$365).

It does not provide boarding for students, so parents and children have to live outside the school.

As a non-governmental organization, Xingxingyu is largely dependent on international donations, said Tian.

According to Tian, the waiting list is so long that some parents will have to wait until 2003 to get help for their children.

"Some of them want to come back for a second training program," said Tian.

Other parents have invited teachers from Xingxingyu to their homes to give lectures on the special therapy advocated by the school.

(eastday.com 09/10/2001)