Autism is one of the most common developmental disorders which occur in children. While there is a lot of research and education about the condition worldwide, many Nigerians are left in the dark about the condition. Most of what is known is sourced locally by concerned parents. In Nigeria, one out of every 125-150 children is living with this condition. In a study from 2014 by Lagunju and colleagues, there was a prevalence of ASD in 2.3% of the 2320 cases in the child neurology and psychiatric clinics in the span of six years. However, there seems to be an increase in the number of autism cases as more people are being informed about the disease. Parents whose children are autistic are worried that their children may not be able to live normal lives.
Autism Spectrum Disorder or simply autism refers to a broad range of conditions characterised by challenges with social communication skills and repetitive behaviors. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder It is defined as a developmental disorder due to the fact that some characteristics may appear at an early age. Symptoms usually vary among people but the more common symptoms may include difficulty in communication, repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. While some people with autism can live independently, others have severe disabilities which require long term care and support. According to the WHO, they may also have co-occurring conditions including anxiety and Attention Deficient and Hyperactivity disorder.
Autism is a condition rarely talked about in Nigeria. It is considered one of the most ignored health issues in the country. This situation dates back to 1943 where children with autism were considered mentally retarded or schizophrenic. Even today, people consider those with autism as processed or evil, especially in the rural areas of the country. Some families even hide their children as they feel embarrassed about their child’s condition, thus delaying proper diagnosis. There is also stigmatization towards people with autism which causes them to be bullied and neglected by society. This causes a feeling of worthlessness in the mind of the autistic person and doesn’t allow them to unlock their full potential. With this in mind, there is a need to reshape the minds of public about the condition to create an environment where people with autism can belong to and grow.
Autistic children will grow up and become adults who need access to recreation, sports, the arts, employment, housing, social programs, and a variety of services. Not being included can lead to social isolation, loneliness, and depression.An inclusive community is one which everyone within the community is involved in its activities, spaces or events irrespective of age, ethnicity, race or disabilities. In this case, creating an inclusive community for people with autism is a way of helping them to live with the condition, to improve on their skills and live with other people without the fear of stigmatization. There are many steps we can take to make an environment which autistic people can belong to.
The first step towards community inclusion would be debunking the myths people believe about autism. It was once believed that autism was an illness of highly developed countries. According to a study by Sauna VD (1984),” Our research of the literature has convinced us that infantile autism appears to be an illness of Western Civilization, and appears in countries of high technology, where the nuclear family dominates.” Now with further research, that notion has been debunked. Even many Nigerian therapists associate autism as the ‘disease of the white man’. This belief, along with some other factors prove detrimental to the well bring of the autistic person. People should understand that autism is not a spiritual disorder neither is it a sign of mental illness. Someone being autistic does not mean that they should be ostracized from society. Even though they may act differently from others and have difficulty in communication, they are still normal human beings.
Next, there should be proper medical care for children who seem to be signs of the condition. There are cases where children are not diagnosed or end up being diagnosed for the wrong condition. this can be seen in the case of Mirabel who was wrongly diagnosed for having epilepsy. “The nurses at school would get angry with me for having frequent anxiety attacks and meltdowns because it didn’t align with the epilepsy diagnosis, so they believed I must be faking them.” Even when the patient is correctly diagnosed, the parent may find it hard to provide for therapy for the child, in some cases, the child may be mistreated by the so called therapists. There should be training for medical practitioners and caregivers to understand autism and how to treat the autistic patient.
Schools also have a role in the inclusion of autistic people into the community. Schools in Nigeria are not equipped to effectively teach children living with autism. Such children are sent abroad if their parents are affluent. The worst hit are the millions of families in rural areas where there are hardly any schools for children in general, much less facilities for the challenged ones. Even the federal ministry of education does not categorize autism as a distinct disability, despite the fact that the condition is currently reputed to be the third most common childhood disorder and the fastest growing developmental disability. The government should accept that autism is a learning disorder and provide learning facilities to cater them. Individuals can also contribute to the cause by supporting autism foundations and making suggestions to schools. An example is the Zumbathon for Autism awareness and funding which planned to get the trainers to train teachers in all schools, not just elitist ones, so all children on the spectrum can get an education.
Many teachers assume the child is acting up or is not fit to be in a particular grade, they might also contribute to the child being bullied by isolating them or abusing them which can be verbal or physical. Parents can prevent this by informing the schools about their child’s condition. In an event such child is being mistreated, the teachers should be dismissed. Teachers need to have adequate knowledge of the cognitive, behavioral and social characteristics associated with special needs to design appropriate learning experiences and teaching strategies for these children. They should understand that autism does not make a child dull, just that it does not allow them to learn the way other kids do. Groups, associations and foundations supporting autistic people are also important to building inclusive communities. They may engage in public enlightenment of the masses and advocacy to provide services for autistic persons. Fortunately, there are many organizations such as the National Society For Autism Nigeria (NASAN), Nigerian Autistic Society and some NGOs like the Ike Foundation for Autism, The Zeebah Foundation et cetera, which provide educational an welfare services for the sake of the autistic person in all areas including rural areas. In creating an inclusive community for people with autism, all hands should be on deck. Of course it will take a lot of time and resources as Rome wasn’t built in a day, but with individual and government efforts, we can ensure a future where autistic people can feel wanted and an environment for the improvement in their lives.
REFERENCES
Lesi, Foluso E.A.; Adeyemi, Joseph D; Aina, Olatunji F; Oshodi, Yewande O; Umeh, Charles S; Olagunju, Andrew T; Oyibo, Wellington. “Autism in Nigeria: A call for action.” Journal of Clinical Sciences 11(2):p 33-34, Jul–Dec 2014. | DOI: 10.4103/1595-9587.146494
“Autism Spectrum Disorder.” National Institute of Mental Health,www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd. Accessed 7 Apr. 2024.
Obinna, Chioma. “Why Nigeria Is Recording More Autism Cases.” Vanguard, 6 Sept. 2023. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/09/why-nigeria-is-recording-more-autism-cases-experts/
Bennie, Maureen. “Community Inclusion for Autistic People – Ideas and Options. “Autism Awareness Centre Inc., 1 May 2022, autismawarenesscentre.com/community-inclusion-for-autistic-people-ideas-and-options/. Accessed 11 Apr. 2024.
Sauna V. D. “Is Infantile Autism a Universal Phenomenon? An Open Question. “National Institute of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6746221/. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.
Abubakar, Hauwa S. “Life On The Spectrum: Misdiagnosis Gap Affecting Autistic Women In Nigeria.” The HumAngle, 23 Jan. 2024. https://humanglemedia.com/life-on-the-spectrum-misdiagnosis-gap-affecting-autistic-women-in-nigeria/
Nwokolo, Okey-Martins. “A Psychologist’s Perspective on the Taboo of Autism in Nigeria.” Autism around the World, www.autismaroundtheglobe.org/story/a-psychologists-perspective-on-the-taboo-of-autism-in-nigeria/. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.
Ekeanyanwu, Ogechi. “Ignorance, Stigma… Challenges in the Management of Autism in Nigeria.” The Cable, 7 Jun. 2017. https://www.thecable.ng/ignorance-stigma-are-some-the-challenges-in-the-management-of-autism-in-nigeria/
Looking for support for special needs education in remote rural areas such as Kebbi State of Nigeria.