By Oreva Godwin
I was invited as a guest speaker to a programme organized solely for autistic and Down syndrome children. At first, I panicked. What could I possibly say? It was a learning process for me. It stirred up emotions never imagined. This is not my world.
There’s a saying that if you don’t have autism or an autistic child, you have no right to talk about autism, but that’s not true. I beg to differ with such pedestrian talk.
I don’t call children with autism or down syndrome special children. I call them unique children. Before the event, I did my research so I wouldn’t have to speak as a novice. I spent hours studying. My inner mind kept saying I couldn’t’t do it. But being someone who loves a good challenge, I pushed through.
When I got to the venue and saw the children, something broke inside of me. Yes, I was broken. but I forced a smile, a permanent one. But as time went on, my smile became genuine.
Although some of the children were already teenagers, they acted like five-year-olds. Big in appearance but childlike in heart. It was so easy to love them.
As I spoke with them, I remembered what late Archbishop Benson Idahosa once said about his encounter with God. When God told him to travel to the white man’s country to preach, he replied, “No African has ever preached there, especially not a black man.” And God said, “Who told you there is black or white? I don’t look at skin colour; I look at the soul. I see only one colour.”
Why then do we look at people’s appearances, their skin, or shape, instead of their hearts? The Creator cares less about our looks and more about the light within us. If we are all created in His image, why can’t we look beyond the physical?
What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition related to brain development. It affects how a person perceives and interacts with others. It impacts communication, social skills, and behavior. The word spectrum reflects the wide range of symptoms and their severity.
There’s no cure for autism, but early treatment, especially during the preschool years, can make a huge difference.
Recognizing the symptoms
Some children show signs early, such as avoiding eye contact or not responding to their names. Others develop normally for a while, then suddenly withdraw, lose speech, or show aggressive behavior.
By age two or three, symptoms often become more noticeable. Each autistic child is unique, and their behavior varies from mild to severe.
Many are sensitive to light and sound. They may prefer isolation, display repetitive movements like rocking or hand-flapping, or insist on routines. Some engage deeply with visual objects, colors, spinning wheels, or patterns, more than with people.
They aren’t difficult; they are different. They don’t want to be controlled, they want to be understood.
What is Down syndrome?
Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, which leads to both physical and mental development challenges. It affects how a person’s body and brain develop and is also known as trisomy 21. Symptoms and health issues vary widely among individuals, but can include distinct facial features like an upward slant to the eyes and a flattened face, as well as other health problems like congenital heart defects.
In our society, autistic and Down syndrome children are often misunderstood or shunned. It’s time to change that. These unique children deserve love, inclusion, and respect.
They are intelligent and capable of great things when given the right support. Since they’re often drawn to what they see, careers involving visual creativity can be fulfilling: computing, photography, fashion, beading, knitting, painting, drawing, or sports.
In some countries, autistic and Down syndrome individuals thrive as actors, artists, and innovators. Africa can do the same if we open our hearts and minds.
Ruth gave birth to her son and gradually noticed changes in him. He had no warmth and isolated himself from people. Whenever she spoke with her son, he refused any eye contact. This bothered her. As a single parent, it was too much for her to bear.
Reports came in from school that he was always distracted and constantly threw tantrums when his toys were taken from him. This was unusual for a child of 6. Ruth, who lacked awareness of autism, ran to the church for prayers and deliverance. She was lucky to meet an educated pastor who advised her to seek medical help.
After a brain scan and consultation, he was diagnosed with autism. And with proper guidance, she learnt how to support and manage his condition and today he is better.
Ufuoma, an educated woman, noticed the sign early in her daughter. She broke down when she noticed that she had Down Syndrome. She blamed the child’s condition on the drugs she tried using to abort the pregnancy. She blamed herself for her daughter’s condition.
The fear of a future for her daughter in this unpleasant world scared her. She sent her daughter to schools for special children. Since they are known to be attracted by what they see, Ufuoma bought home beads and netting wool. Just to see which wouldl attract the daughter. And the child picked on the beads. Always playing with the colourful beads.
Ufuoma quickly brought home a tutor to train her in the craft of bead making. It was a struggle to get her to concentrate at first. But overtime she got focused and learnt the craft. Slow and steady. Ufuoma’s daughter at 26 years old now became a renowned bead maker. She shipped her products outside the country. She started doing well for herself.
John and Silvia had autistic twins. It was concerning for them. The children had all the symptoms, and this made their parents scared of how the kids would face the world.
The kids were scolded harshly by the public because of how weird they acted. They didn’t share at all. At age 10, they were still taught like babies to learn the act of sharing. People looked at them as being weird. It was worse when they threw their tantrum. It was a hard job for their parents.
As they grew, John and Sylvia had to plan for their future. They noticed that one of the twins was fascinated with fashion. Whenever Silvia was sewing, the child would watch her sew with keen interest. While the other loved arranging the house and decorating it. They discovered their passion by observation.
The couple sent the twins to actualise their passion after noticing that their reasoning and learning skills had improved. They made sure that the owners of the learning centres were aware of their conditions.
One of the twins majored in fashion design while the other focused on interior decoration. It was shocking how they enjoyed learning and could not stop talking about what they learnt. John and Silvia were so happy about their decision.
Autistic children and those with Down syndrome need our love and patience, not pity or rejection. They may not look or communicate like everyone else, but they have a world of creativity, intelligence, and beauty within them. They don’t need to be charged, but to be accepted.
These children have great potentials, but only love and understanding can unlock them.
*The Southerner
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