Parents have been advised to report any difficulties in talking and communication they notice in their children at an early age to qualified medical personnel.
At an awareness seminar on autism organized by WOW D.I.V.A.S in Lagos, last weekend, child medical experts, special care givers, and other stakeholders were present to speak to parents and other interested parties on how to cope with an autistic child.
According to the medical experts, autism, a lifelong developmental disorder that seriously affects the way individuals communicate and interact with those around them, can be managed more effectively if discovered in a child at an early age, usually before three years.Abiodun Eke-Aluko, a paediatrician and director of The Premier Specialist Hospital, Lagos, said that parents should make sure that when they take their children for their vaccinations, they should ask their doctors to check the child’s development. She said a child who isn’t talking or communicating could be showing symptoms of autism.”Anytime they go to their doctors for their immunizations between the age of 6months and 3years, questions should be asked about areas of development especially in the areas that are well known to be affected - communication, interaction and play,” said Dr. Eke-Aluko.”If questions are asked at this time, we would be able to pick up these children as young as possible because the earlier it is, the better.
Early intervention leads to recovery. Most children if identified early can be helped to function better in the society,” she added.The Proprietress, Patricks Speech and Language Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, Dotun Akande, who was one of the speakers at the seminar, said she set up the first autism centre in Nigeria five years ago, after her son was diagnosed to be autistic when he was two and a half years.She encouraged parents who have autistic children to be proud of them and find ways to help the children deal with their challenges. “There are times we break down as parents but don’t be discouraged,” she said. “They should just be patient and not look at the other person. They should not look at the stigma attached to it but the benefits that the children would gain if they continue to help them out in their various challenges.”Nigeria has no recorded statistics of people living with autism, but internationally, it affects one in 150 people, putting the number of people living with it in Nigeria at an estimated 15million.
It has no known cause or cure. A child with autism has no noticeable physical representation, but has difficulties in communication.”The children are different in the sense that they have challenges with communication skills, social skills, and sometimes behaviour and imagination,” said Mrs. Akande.”They are so different in their component and in their mode of expressing themselves that sometimes people find them strange. When they see some of the behavioural issues, they think they are mad or they are badly behaved or there is something wrong with that child,” Mrs. Akande added.”You can teach skills to the children.
They take a longer period to learn but they do learn.” Ayo Idaomi, a member of WOW D.I.V.A.S network said the awareness on autism would be a continuous process. She added that there were plans to have a screening centre located in government hospitals where children can be screened early. For her, the seminar was necessary because they noticed that about 10 percent of members of the network were affected by autism.”We are a group of over 100 women who come together to empower one another, to inspire one another and uplift one another,” said Ms. Idaomi. The first Nigerian Autism Directory which contains a list of resource centres, nutritionists, hospitals, paediatricians, websites, special schools and normal schools that cater for children with Autism was launched at the seminar.
CARE Experts advise on ways to manage children living with the communication disorderPull quote: If questions are asked at this time, we would be able to pick up these children as young as possible because the earlier it is, the better. Early intervention leads to recovery. Most children if identified early can be helped to function better in the society
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At an awareness seminar on autism organized by WOW D.I.V.A.S in Lagos, last weekend, child medical experts, special care givers, and other stakeholders were present to speak to parents and other interested parties on how to cope with an autistic child.
According to the medical experts, autism, a lifelong developmental disorder that seriously affects the way individuals communicate and interact with those around them, can be managed more effectively if discovered in a child at an early age, usually before three years.Abiodun Eke-Aluko, a paediatrician and director of The Premier Specialist Hospital, Lagos, said that parents should make sure that when they take their children for their vaccinations, they should ask their doctors to check the child’s development. She said a child who isn’t talking or communicating could be showing symptoms of autism.”Anytime they go to their doctors for their immunizations between the age of 6months and 3years, questions should be asked about areas of development especially in the areas that are well known to be affected - communication, interaction and play,” said Dr. Eke-Aluko.”If questions are asked at this time, we would be able to pick up these children as young as possible because the earlier it is, the better.
Early intervention leads to recovery. Most children if identified early can be helped to function better in the society,” she added.The Proprietress, Patricks Speech and Language Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, Dotun Akande, who was one of the speakers at the seminar, said she set up the first autism centre in Nigeria five years ago, after her son was diagnosed to be autistic when he was two and a half years.She encouraged parents who have autistic children to be proud of them and find ways to help the children deal with their challenges. “There are times we break down as parents but don’t be discouraged,” she said. “They should just be patient and not look at the other person. They should not look at the stigma attached to it but the benefits that the children would gain if they continue to help them out in their various challenges.”Nigeria has no recorded statistics of people living with autism, but internationally, it affects one in 150 people, putting the number of people living with it in Nigeria at an estimated 15million.
It has no known cause or cure. A child with autism has no noticeable physical representation, but has difficulties in communication.”The children are different in the sense that they have challenges with communication skills, social skills, and sometimes behaviour and imagination,” said Mrs. Akande.”They are so different in their component and in their mode of expressing themselves that sometimes people find them strange. When they see some of the behavioural issues, they think they are mad or they are badly behaved or there is something wrong with that child,” Mrs. Akande added.”You can teach skills to the children.
They take a longer period to learn but they do learn.” Ayo Idaomi, a member of WOW D.I.V.A.S network said the awareness on autism would be a continuous process. She added that there were plans to have a screening centre located in government hospitals where children can be screened early. For her, the seminar was necessary because they noticed that about 10 percent of members of the network were affected by autism.”We are a group of over 100 women who come together to empower one another, to inspire one another and uplift one another,” said Ms. Idaomi. The first Nigerian Autism Directory which contains a list of resource centres, nutritionists, hospitals, paediatricians, websites, special schools and normal schools that cater for children with Autism was launched at the seminar.
CARE Experts advise on ways to manage children living with the communication disorderPull quote: If questions are asked at this time, we would be able to pick up these children as young as possible because the earlier it is, the better. Early intervention leads to recovery. Most children if identified early can be helped to function better in the society
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