Know more about autism
JOBURG – 2 April is International Autism Awareness Day and Krishen Samuel of the Centre for Autism Research and Education wants South Africans to better understand autism.
Krishen Samuel is passionate about creating autism awareness and began by highlighting that autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the world. An interesting point is that autism affects a disproportionate number of boys to girls with a ratio of 4:1, said Samuel.
According to him, the signs of autism can be evident from when an infant is six months old. However, the disability is typically detected when the baby is 18 months old. Samuel explained that there are several warning signs that might indicate the presence of autism. These signs include, but are not limited to, a lack of eye contact, a lack of reciprocal smiling and an inability to recognise familiar individuals such as a sibling. Furthermore, communication milestones may be delayed.
“It is important to note that autism is a behaviourally manifested condition, thus, there are no objective means of testing for autism,” said Samuel. He elaborated, saying that a professional with experience in the field of autism would need to observe the child and combine this observation with a parent’s report in order to come up with a diagnosis. Professionals who can diagnose autism include child psychiatrists and child neurologists.
“The four main areas affected by autism are social interaction, behaviour, communication and sensory functioning, irregularities may also be seen in other areas,” explained Samuel.
He indicated that there are a few solutions to these problems – occupational therapy and speech therapy have been known to be very beneficial for those who have autism.
A parent of an autistic 17-year-old boy, who wishes to remain anonymous for the sake of her child, said that her son is exceptionally talented in many ways. She advises other parents with autistic children to watch their child’s diet as ‘they are what they eat’. This parent went on to say that parents are the advocates for their children.
Samuel concluded by saying that, with assistance, people with autism can live happy, fulfilling lives and can be active members of society.
