By; Naggirah Kafuti
Autism is a spectrum disorder, it varies from child to child, it is a mental disorder where some parts of the brain function higher than others.
Autism is not a sickness or illness but a condition that can be managed with the right interventions.
A child with autism can be born with normal functioning and the signs starts to show from the age of 1 year.
The signs of autism are;
1. A child stops responding to their name
2. Sleeping problems
3. Picky eating
4. Isolation
5. Repetitive behaviour (doing the same thing over and over again) running back and forth.
6. Delayed or No speech.
7. Lack of concentration (can’t concentrate on a task for more than 5 seconds)
8. Screaming
9. Hyperactiveness (jumping up and down)
10. Coving ears
However, better diagnosis should be done at UTH if you notice some of these signs
When you see these signs don’t worry it just means your have a special child who is different.
What to do:
Acceptance. Accept your child as he or she is.
Start early intervention.
Your child is not demon possessed or cursed. And don’t need fixing.
Spend more time with your child
Talk to your child.
Your child may not speak but they can hear and understand you.
Be patient, be loving, be kind.
Educate your family members about autism. It does get better with time.
Thank you
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