‘Early intervention key to tackling autism’
Nigeria joins other countries around the globe to mark this year’s World Autism Awareness Day today. In this interview to commemorate the day, the president of the National Society for Autism Nigeria (NASAN), and Founder/CEO of The Zamarr Institute, Mrs. Khadeejah Oluronke Katagum, speaks on the challenges children with autism face, the need for early […]
Nigeria joins other countries around the globe to mark this year’s World Autism Awareness Day today. In this interview to commemorate the day, the president of the National Society for Autism Nigeria (NASAN), and Founder/CEO of The Zamarr Institute, Mrs. Khadeejah Oluronke Katagum, speaks on the challenges children with autism face, the need for early intervention, and other related issues.
Daily Trust: What is autism?
Mrs. Khadeejah Oluronke Katagum: Autism is known as a complex developmental disability. Experts believe that autism presents itself during the first three years of a person’s life. The condition is the result of a disorder that has effects on normal brain function, affecting the development of a person’s communication; that is both verbal and non-verbal communication, and a wide range of social interaction skills and behaviour. Autism is also called autism spectrum disorders. There are no statistics for the prevalence of autism in Nigeria, although research is on-going but not declared yet.
DT: Are there measures mothers can take to prevent their child from having autism?
Katagum: Currently, there are no preventive measures for the disease, but research is still on-going on the causes. Autism though has a genetic pre-disposition. Studies show that a single gene is not responsible for autism but a number of genes. Environmental factors also play a role. It is helpful for expectant mothers to take all necessary health measures during pregnancy.
DT: From your interaction with autistic children over the years, what are the major challenges facing them?
Katagum: The major challenge is discrimination. It is rather unfortunate that people who do not have special needs are impatient with the children that have autism disability. The parents of these children have special needs too because they didn’t do anything wrong. They did not ask to have a child like that. Children with autism need attention, their parents also need attention. It is not sympathy that they are looking for but empathy. Therefore, we should try to empathise with the parents.
I advise children with special needs to have confidence, and feel better about themselves. People should show them love, care and accommodate them. This will go a long way in building confidence in them and making them feel better.
DT: What is your advice for parents who have autistic children?
Katagum: Families who are affected by autism are advised to get early intervention. With early intervention, a child with special needs will do better and stands the chance of reaching his (or her) maximum potential. Although the signs of autism are usually not visible physical signs, if parents pay attention, they will notice unusual behaviours in their developing infant.
DT: What should the government do to improve the lives of people suffering from autism?
Katagum: I honestly think the first thing the government should do is to incorporate the diagnosis of autism in healthcare for children, whenever they visit the hospital for immunisation. Most times when children go for their vaccines, they only meet the nurse who gives them injections. There is need for a pediatrician to be around during such visits, so that he or she can do regular evaluations on them not just giving injections. The evaluation will show whether they are meeting their milestones, or if their development is as expected.
Early intervention is also the key that can improve the lives of children with autism. The primary reasons for early intervention include, enhancing the child’s development, to provide support and assistance to the family, and to maximise the child’s and family’s benefit to the society. Government at all levels should also meet the educational needs of people with autism by partnering with service providers for therapy, in order to ensure early intervention.
DT: The theme of the 2016 World Autism Day is ‘Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and neurodiversity.’ Do you see Nigeria achieving this target?
Katagum: No, I do not because we are still far behind in even providing for them.
DT: Tell us about The Zamarr Institute?
Katagum: The concept of The Zamarr Institute was born in 1991 when I returned home after studying abroad, and decided to contribute my quota in filling the gap for the education of children with special education needs. The institute began in April 2006 with autism awareness in Abuja with a mission to support children and adults with profound developmental, behavioural and learning difficulties by improving their quality of life and helping them to be the ‘best that they can be.’ We work with both local and international agencies, and the government of Nigeria to provide various forms of therapy as well as training and capacity development for careers, teachers and parents.
Our vision is to provide training and education for individuals with special educational needs to attain maximum independence. In the last 10 years, more than 100 children and young adults have received therapy while many teachers and medical practitioners have received training about autism.