Autism � a neurodisability needs special attention to the caregivers
Md. Emdadul Hoque Howlader
Autism - a neuro-disability is still thought of a curse in rural Bangladesh and the families of disabled children often feel vulnerable due to the societal attitude towards disabled child and its family. Though, in recent years it is highlighted as a disease and efforts are there to incorporate it in the mainstream health agenda nationwide. From Dhaka International Conference on Autism in 2011, autism gets high priority in our local media as well as govt. and other agencies. The aim is to create awareness among the people about autism and children with autism.
Recently, govt. has taken some initiative through its social welfare ministry to create autism friendly corner in major hospitals of the country where autistic people can get comprehensive treatment and the parents and caregivers can understand better management alternatives.
Autism from its very identification in 1943 has become a public health challenge worldwide. As a neuro-development disorder, the tangible cause of autism is still remain unknown and needs more research on it. Autism is typically diagnosed around the second or third year of life and is estimated to affect as many as one in 88 children all over the world of whom one-fifth is male.
An answer to the question, Prof. Dr. Shaheen Akhter, Project Director of the Institute of Paediatric Neurodisorder and Autism (IPNA) and professor of Paediatric Neurology Dept. of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University said There is a large number of children with this neurodevelopmental disirders are often not diagnosed correctly and also there is no exact statistics of how many children are affected. So the disorder autism is still unfamiliar in rural Bangladesh.
Autism is a set of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions, characterised by early-onset difficulties in social communication and unusually restricted, repetitive behaviour and interests.
The worldwide population prevalence is about 1%. Autism affects more male than female individuals.
Autism affects social and communication skills and, to a greater or lesser degree, motor and language skills. It is such a broad diagnosis that it can include people with high IQs and mental retardation. The people with autism can be chatty or silent, affectionate or cold, methodical or disorganized.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health in America, earliest red flags for autism are:
Does not babble, point, or make meaningful gestures by 1 year of age
Does not speak one word by 16 months
Does not combine two words by 2 years
Does not respond to name
Loses language or social skills
Poor eye contact
Doesnt seem to know how to play with toys or excessively lines up toys or other objects
Is attached to one particular toy or object
Doesnt smile or interact joyfully
At times seems to be hearing impaired.
Experts from different corners of the world are agreed that the management is important for the people with autism as it is not fully curable disease. As professor Shaheen said that every person with autism is different, and there is no single autistic perspective. But the key to understanding autism is to recognize that it profoundly alters how a person perceives the world.
Thats the point to emphasize for the caregivers who are mainly responsible for managing autism and people with autism as a whole. Though, caregiving for a loved one with autism can be tremendously difficult. But happily, treatment can often make a difference. Caregivers also need to understand how important they are.
As Stephen Shore, an assistant professor in the School of Education at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y.said, For a caregiver, empathy is key. As a parent or caregiver, you need to go into the world of the person with autism first, then you can start guiding that person out.
