Don't give up on your child with autism - experts

PIC: Ronald Tugume, the head occupational therapist at Dawn Childrens' Centre playing with autistic children. (Credit: Vivian Agaba)

As Uganda joins the rest of the World to commemorate World Autism Day, experts have advised parents with autistic children not to give up on them.

The theme for this year's celebration is: "Empowering women and girls with autism."

Experts say many children with autism may struggle when it comes to literacy skills and might not be able to relate to stories or topics that require them to imagine situations. However, experts add that such children have particular interests and talents depending on an individual, which when well nurtured, they can become shining stars.

The specialists explain that autistic people repeatedly do that one particular thing they are interested in, over and over again, and this repetitiveness leads to perfection.

Dr. Angelina Kakooza-Mwesige, a senior lecturer and paediatric neurologist at the School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, says children with autism can be good in areas such as music, fine art and mathematics.

She says for autistic children to be able to grow their talent, a parent/guardian and teachers must be able to identify a particular talent an autistic child has and support them to nurture it.

"If you see your child is interested in fine art or use of instruments, encourage them to continuously practice drawing or use those instruments," Kakooza advises

She says as time goes on, the child will master what he/she is doing and that may become their source of livelihood in future.

"Children with autism have great potential. Do not abandon them or deny them a chance to be great people in future," Kakooza says.

What is autism?

Dr. Kakooza defines autism as a lifelong, developmental disability characterised by social-interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviours.

She says it is rare to find an autistic person with only autism; they may present with other grades of neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy, vision and hearing impairment as well as language and cognitive problems. Because of the range of symptoms, the condition is now called autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Famous people with autism

Some of the World's people with autism spectrum that have made tremendous contribution in the world of science, politics, social-economic development include Bill Gates, the co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation and Steve Jobs, the ormer CEO of Apple. Others are Sir Isaac Newton, a mathematician, astronomer and physicist; Thomas Jefferson, the third President of US and Albert Einstein, a scientist and mathematician.

The most famous one is Thomas Edison, the inventor of electric bulb. As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb, when he finally succeeded, though at one time, his teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything.

Challenges autistic children in Uganda face

Florence Namaganda is a neuro peadiatric therapist and founder of Dawn Children's Centre, a developmental and day care centre for children with special needs and development delays in Kampala. She says many parents are still ashamed of children born with autism due to lack of education regarding such disabilities.

She says due to shame, many of these children are hidden at home, and rarely access any form of education and proper healthcare, thus missing out on life's opportunities.

Namaganda says children with disabilities should be loved and nurtured to become productive in life.