- Affected children, with emotionally drained parents, crave institutional support
She had coped with the condition of her daughter, weathered the initial storm, floated a foundation for a support group with a network of parents in tow, and pitched for funding that’s slow in coming. Yet, without robust policy and institutional support from the government and other NGOs, she may well fall short.
That’s the story of Mrs. Raheedat Olatunji, a widow and Faizat, 25, her autistic daughter. To make the future more relatable for the autistic Nigerian child, Mrs. Olatunji has floated the Faizat Hope Foundation for Autism and Special Needs.
That initiative should be supported by every right-thinking person, in or out of government. As many autism care NGOs, as possible, should also band into a vibrant national network, to create a more loving and adaptable future for Nigerian children that have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
But NGOs — as crucial as they may be, to help access funding from global networks — should be part of an integrated and robust pro-autism care policy, with the government itself at the core. Autistic children and emotionally sapped parents are, after all, Nigerian citizens deserving of their government’s help and care.
Besides, ASD, as defined by Wikipedia, is a cognitive freak: “a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction; and restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests.”
Still, ASD can be two-way: regressive or exceptional. Again, Wikipedia: “It — ASD — is also associated with significant cognitive strengths, including exceptional memory, focused attention, creativity, and specialised talents in areas like math, art, or music. These unique cognitive profiles are not uncommon in autistic individuals; and highlight the importance of recognising and nurturing their specific abilities.”
So, though ASD is often associated with retarded cognition — as Faizat Olatunji’s case — it could also manifest as hyper-intelligence.
Indeed, even the Yoruba folklore captures this genius with the “Ajantala” (wonder child) concept. Either way, Nigeria should emplace a policy to fully develop and utilise, to the fullest, its brood of autistic children.
Autistic children in Nigeria are projected to be around 600, 000. This figure is middling, compared to the global top 5: South Korea (1:38 children), the United States (1:36), Japan (1:87), Sweden (1:100) and France (1:100).
Given Nigeria’s estimated population of over 200 million, the ratio would appear far less.
But unlike these other countries, autism awareness in Nigeria is clearly far lower. If awareness is poor, then there is a great possibility — and logically so — that autism is under-reported. So, both the rate and raw number could be far higher.
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The odyssey of Widow Olatunji and daughter should therefore refocus attention on the matter. The negative side of ASD appears always the focus: fear, scorn, shame and stigma. Mrs. Olatunji disclosed that some neighbours once advised her to poison her — obviously problematic — child, to regain her peace of mind.
Such infanticidal hint might not have been the first — nor would it possibly be the last. The response too might not always be charitable, as Mrs. Olatunji’s. Yet, they are often borne out of fear and shame, not necessarily from malice to end a difficult child’s life.
Also, with teenage years and adulthood, the challenges expand, not contract. How, for instance, do you as a parent cope with a 25-year-old young (wo)man that should be preparing to run own home, yet remains a perpetual child, cognitive-wise? That situation would task anyone, even with the deepest of parental love.
Which is why the government should emplace a vibrant, robust and comprehensive policy and programmes to help out such families. Yes, autism is incurable. But it can be managed with a cocktail of treatments, which can make the autistic’s faculty to live as normal a life as possible, thus shunning a miserable life-long dependency.
A vibrant, well-funded public heath policy, that harnesses every possible public and private sector support funding, holds the key to that threshold.
To echo Wikipedia again: “People with ASD may have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.” In real terms, that’s high-quality, customised education — that costs whale money! A deliberate and sound public education policy, that nevertheless can also tap funding from supportive private sector, can tackle that.
Mrs. Olatunji and Faizat, her daughter, should signify Nigeria’s re-entry into the autism challenge, starting with a blitz of enlightenment, followed by sound policies. If Nigeria will sacrifice for children retarded by autism, it can also profit from the autistic genius.
The concept is total and comprehensive development that leaves no citizen behind.
