By Henry Uche
Nigerians have been urged to pursue the cause of inclusiveness and support (morally, financially, emotionally, psychologically and otherwise) for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
In a remark at the 12th annual Autism Conference in Lagos, put together by Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), the Group Chief Executive Officer, GTCO, Segun Agbaje, maintained that individuals or groups could create and uphold a culture of inclusion towards ASD to enable them reach their full potential.
With the theme: “Creating a Community of Awe-Tism Advocates” GTCO boss affirmed that as an added feature of this year’s Autism Conference and to ensure that more persons with developmental disorders benefit from professional help, GTCO made provisions to offer specialist care to autistic children.
The specialist care in the areas of; speech and behaviour therapy, child psychology and psychiatry, as well as occupational development for adults living with autism via in-person consultations took place from Tuesday, August 23 to Saturday, August 27, 2022.
According to him, the conference sought to increase social awareness of ASD; provide free professional consultation for people living with autism and their families; foster improvements in the care and management of autism among parents, caregivers, educationists and health workers.
Others objectives are: To provide support inclusive quality education for children living with autism and equip vocational centres for adults with ASD as well as offer funding for applied autism research.
With the #BeAVoice, autism specialists at the conference posited that three major ways anyone could help ASD are: By being a change agent, showing support and by sharing resources with people with people suffering from autism as their advocates.
“We must educate ourselves about the daily challenges people living with autism face, examine the biases people hold about them and always speak up against the discrimination of people living with autism.
“Every individual’s experience with autism is unique. We must learn how best you can be there for them, by listening to their challenges and observing their behavioral models to create inclusive spaces for them.”
Speaking, the executive director/founder, Cradle Lounge, Solape Azazi, said her organisation would continue to create the avenue for ASD to explore their creativity through arts and crafts in line with its mandate.
On his part, a dental surgeon, Adeseye Awe, called on every caregiver to ensure due diligence and empathy while handling persons with autism. “While attending to these fellows we should strive to show empathy and sincere concern for them. As dentist, we must watch out for signs relating to the health of their teeth that could lead to more severe conditions.
“If they know that you are really concerned about their life, they would respond to you as a caregiver. Our message is simple, everyone must desist from relating to them with in any way or manner capable of aggravating their plights, we should work towards ameliorating their condition, they’re human being like every other person, and we must accord that due recognition any time any day,” he charged.