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Health professionals last week in Lagos attributed the growing number of autism diagnoses in Nigeria and other African nations in the last ten years to increased awareness.
The experts who spoke at the 12th Annual GTCO Plc Autism Conference, with the topic “Creating a Community of Autism Advocates,” held in Lagos, also advised parents to seek professional advice if they feel their children may have autism. Speaking about a typical pattern in Nigerian schools and hospitals, Dr. Muideen Bakare, Chief Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of the Child and Adolescent Unit of Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, said: “While there is no national figure, the average is about 1:2 percent of the children in school but in a clinical setting, the prevalence may be higher than that because parents bring children with the problem in the hospital.
Bakare attributed the increase in incidence to growing awareness and cultural factors.
“There is a misconception that because autism is rarely seen among Africans due to our community lifestyle, black Africans do not experience it.
“But in today’s society, there are more nuclear families, which means that kids connect with their extended families less and aren’t exposed to as many peer relationships.
Play is an essential component of each child’s growth, and peer relationships are necessary for mental development.
Signs To Watch Out For
Bakare advised thinking about contacting a professional if there is a development delay, a speech delay, or a child who cannot look you directly in the eyes.
He added that it is a sign if the child constantly seeks alone, is preoccupied with their own world, and lacks attention.
Additionally, Dr. Oladipo Sowunmi, Consultant Emergency Psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Aro Abeokuta, advised parents, saying, “You need the right person to make the right diagnosis for you or else, everything that happens in a child’s life will be characterized as autism-like intellectual disorders.
In general, neurodevelopmental dysfunction in children is similar to a salad with many ingredients; you need someone to choose the ingredients and identify the main issues.
When asked about the best time to test a child for autism, Sowunmi responded, “We usually test children during the period that their education has started, where you expect more social contacts. However, it could show earlier or later in life.
“In our neighbourhood, most children were selected at or around age six. You are more likely to pick preschool earlier if you reside in a highly educated community where there is a demand to start preschool. By adopting an attitude of inclusiveness, we want everyone to do more to show their real support for this particular group of people.
Content created and supplied by: validsuccess (via Opera
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