Father shares his story of inspiration
Affectionately called “Mr Google Mind” by his father, eight-year-old Lwandile is described as a fast thinker who easily recognises faces, often mimes melodies, and has recently developed a relationship with his rugby ball.
MBOMBELA – After his son was diagnosed with autism at four years old there was no way life would ever be the same again. A father shares how he has coped.
Skhumbuzo Shongwe vividly remembers the time Lwandile lost his speech. “After realising my son had a speech impediment, I took him to various doctors who conducted tests, but they could not detect anything. I was referred to a neurologist in Johannesburg who did an assessment that revealed he had autism.”
Autism is a disorder in the development of the brain characterised by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and repetitive behaviour.
“At the time Lwandile was diagnosed, society was still not aware of it and, I must admit, it was difficult because I was not counselled as there were no facilities around. The most difficult part is living in denial, as most parents do, but I learnt to accept this situation. Considering how some ordeals are interpreted in our culture, some still believe the disorder is because of witchcraft or bad luck, but fortunately my family and in-laws are people with Christian values,” he explains. Looking back, Shongwe, a former journalist, recalls a story he had worked
on – about a boy who had autism. “The symptoms my son have are similar to those of the boy I had written the article on, but it only crossed my mind after some time. It is challenging, but I cannot say I am not coping – we take it one day at a time.
“It comes with a lot of expenses because public hospitals do not have neurologists, the medication that helps to calm him
down costs me R1 100 monthly, and a session with a neurologist in Johannesburg quarterly is R1 800. It is a struggle,
because we go to Gauteng for check-ups, inclusive of other expenses like accommodation, because I cannot drive with Lwandile early in the morning as he easily
becomes restless,” he explains.
Affectionately called “Mr Google Mind” by his father, eight-year-old Lwandile is described as a fast thinker who easily recognises faces, often mimes melodies, and has recently developed a relationship with his rugby ball. “During World Autism Month, I asked the Pumas to visit the school that he attends, where the players interacted with the children. He has since fallen in love with rugby as he won’t let go of his ball. This gives me joy because it shows he understands what it is all about,” he says proudly.
However, like many other parents, Shongwe is concerned about government’s involvement in raising awareness on autism. He feels there is a lack of commitment and proactivity and hopes the departments of health and social development will intervene.
