AS the world observes Autism Awareness Month, the Government of Guyana is putting additional measures in place to cater for children with special needs. This was disclosed by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who indicated that special classrooms at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre are being built to accommodate children with special disorders.
World Autism Awareness Day is aimed at focusing attention on obstacles that people with autism face in their daily lives. The day is being celebrated on April 2, globally, to spread awareness of the disorder. The theme for this year’s observance is, ‘Inclusion in the Workplace.’ The significance of the observance is to highlight the fact that people with autism also have the right to attain quality education like normal people.
As pointed out by the Health Minister, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the special needs schools were closed, which posed severe challenges for parents of autistic children; but with the reopening of schools greater attention will be placed on children who are challenged.
Autism, more accurately known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental disability that does not have one specific cause, but rather is believed to be caused by a number of potential factors. The term ‘spectrum’ in ASD helps explain the wide-ranging symptoms that are experienced with the disability and often present behavioural, communication and other social challenges that begin in early childhood.
And while there are no exact causes for ASD, there are certain risk factors that fall under two main categories: genetics and environmental. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, not everyone will be affected in the same way. The ability to solve problems, to learn and communicate can range from being extremely skilled to extremely problematic, depending on the type of the disorder. Persons with mild to moderate autism can function more independently that those with more severe forms of autism.
Autism in Guyana is not widespread, even though there are many undiagnosed cases, especially among children. The sad reality is that there is no known cure for the disorder, which in effect means that an autistic person is likely to live with that condition for the remainder of his or her life.
This is why it is so important for parents and guardians of persons so diagnosed to seek assistance from a specialist doctor or psychologist on how to treat with such cases. This is especially so because of abnormal behavioural traits such as doing things in a repetitive manner and appearing unemotional or distant. However, they do also display some extraordinary talents such as higher levels of cognitive abilities, especially in areas such as artistry, science and mathematics. They also have fantastic memory and problem-solving skills. This is why it is important for parents and caregivers to show understanding and tolerance and to create the right environment for such persons to develop to the full limit of their potential and creativity.
Research suggests that boys are much more likely than girls to develop the disorder. Regrettably, there is a fair measure of stigma associated with the disorder, such as ‘mental’ retardation. This has been scientifically proven to be wrong. Indeed, as mentioned earlier, the very opposite could be, as many persons with atuism display higher-than-average Intelligence Quotient (IQ) levels.
This is why it is so timely and necessary for the government to put in place the necessary support mechanisms and infrastructure to assist children who display signs of atuism. The PPP/C administration must be commended for the measures it has been taking to raise awareness on the issue of autism and for that matter, persons who are differently abled.
President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali had said that his administration is committed to the establishment of an inclusive democracy that will give voice to, and involve constructive engagement with those in the society who are challenged one way or the other. According to President Ali, the government is prepared to work with vulnerable individuals and groups to guarantee a greater role for them in decision-making to generate their own pathways to personal development and to tap into their potential.
The PPP/C administration must be commended for the several special-care programmes and activities to assist persons who are differently abled and challenged to integrate them into the society.
