"Music is their language": school gives autistic Chinese youth a voice

Zhao Guorong, 59, plays the keyboard as she performs with her son Zu Wenbao, 23, and Tian Yi, 44, during a practice session of the band formed by the mothers of Star Kids, called Mums of Star Kids, at the music studio of 38-year-old teacher Chen Shensi in Beijing, China August 21, 2022. Almost three years of pandemic restrictions have been especially hard for Zu, who has autism spectrum disorder, but thanks to Chen's Studio, music has become his saving grace. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Almost three years of pandemic restrictions have been hard for 23-year-old Chinese villager Zu Wenbao, but thanks to Beijing-based Chen's Studio, music has become his saving grace.

Zu is one of the 14 million people in China who have autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Despite laws to ensure the integration of people with autism, many in China know little about the disorder and support remains lacking, experts say.