Commentaries | Aug 21,2021
Mar 30 , 2019
By Getaneh Abera
April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, aims to put a spotlight on the hurdles that people with autism and their families face every day. Western countries have put in a great deal of research on this developmental disorder, raising awareness, service provisions and policy formulations.
Awareness about the disorder is showing improvement in Ethiopia, but there remains much that is still unknown and misunderstood. The number of children who are diagnosed with autism is estimated to be increasing, but the amount of dedicated health providers remains constant.
No specific policy considers autism as a specific case. We are in a country where psychological and developmental disorders do not carry as much currency in the medical profession, and special needs education has barely gotten off the ground.
Worse still, autism has not broken through social barriers and continues to be attached to myths that are making addressing the problem more challenging.
One of the most widespread beliefs is that the symptoms of the disorder have a spiritual cause. What is usually recommended, out of desperation as well as awareness by parents, are spiritual interventions. Hospitals usually are not the first choice for treatment for someone with a mental health problem, especially in rural areas.
Some research shows that faith has a positive influence on people’s mental states, but the view that an evil spirit causes autism is dangerous. It causes stigma and discrimination, even by parents, and the methods used to rid oneself of this social as well as mental problem can potentially worsen the condition of the children.
Another harmful myth about autism is that it is transmittable, leading to further discrimination and marginalisation of those affected by it. That autism is contagious, like the flu, is a surprisingly common theory in religious places and schools.
“It is not my son being autistic that hurts me,” a mother once told me. “In case my son and I pass by the field where children are playing, they run away like they have seen a wild animal. I know they don’t feel this way; it is their parents who tell them that it is transmittable.”
The causes of autism, which affects millions of people around the world, are more genetic or associated with environmental factors. This simple awareness can go a long way in getting communities to pitch in to address this problem.
Just as frustrating a myth associated with the disorder is that of aggressiveness. Autistic children do not deliberately attack their peers or anyone else. They do not seriously think about how to hurt or attack someone. But they could be easily manipulated into doing this.
Otherwise, aggression may happen due to sensory overload or the frustration from their inability to communicate or express themselves. This myth is common in schools and with teachers.
This comes from a lack of understanding of the children’s conditions and special needs. There are multiple examples of how nonverbal and “aggressive” children that were sent to autism centres showed incredible progress in both communication and academics by the time they were promoted to mainstream schools.
What is harmful is expecting children with this disorder to act and show the same level of social communication skills that kids without autism have. Under the right treatment packages and proper awareness of the behaviour patterns of these children, there are chances of bringing them up to speed.
Without a national policy and a community to contribute its fair share in helping these children and their parents though, the problem will persist, and early recognition and treatment possibilities will dissipate.
PUBLISHED ON
Mar 30,2019 [ VOL
19 , NO
987]
Commentaries | Aug 21,2021
Radar | Apr 10,2021
Fineline | Feb 15,2020
Radar | Dec 19,2021
Radar | Jan 29,2022
Fortune News | Nov 16,2019
Editorial | May 23,2020
My Opinion | Jul 25,2020
Commentaries | Dec 19,2020
Covid-19 | Mar 14,2020
My Opinion | 129228 Views | Aug 14,2021
My Opinion | 125519 Views | Aug 21,2021
My Opinion | 123552 Views | Sep 10,2021
My Opinion | 121385 Views | Aug 07,2021
Dec 22 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Charged with transforming colossal state-owned enterprises into modern and competitiv...
Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...
Jul 28 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW
Unhabitual, perhaps too many, Samuel Gebreyohannes, 38, used to occasionally enjoy a couple of beers at breakfast. However, he recently swit...
Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transporting commodities, and f...
May 17 , 2025
Ethiopia pours more than three billion Birr a year into academic research, yet too mu...
May 10 , 2025
Federal legislators recently summoned Shiferaw Teklemariam (PhD), head of the Disaste...
May 3 , 2025
Pensioners have learned, rather painfully, the gulf between a figure on a passbook an...
Apr 26 , 2025
Benjamin Franklin famously quipped that “nothing is certain but death and taxes....
May 17 , 2025
The soaring price of milk is becoming increasingly unaffordable, uncovering a deepeni...
May 17 , 2025 . By BEZAWIT HULUAGER
Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) has stepped into the Treasury Bill (T-bill) marke...
May 17 , 2025 . By NAHOM AYELE
In a sweeping move that has triggered applause from regulators and alarm among small...
A new measure from the Addis Abeba Revenue Bureau (AARB) makes commercial landlords p...
Loading your updates...