Dr. Nana Esi Gaisie, Head of Public Health at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi, has cautioned parents who usually lock up their autistic children at home to desist from doing so.
She said such barbaric act robs the children of their right to develop and participate in society.
She explained that even though autistic children can be destructive and may show socially unacceptable behaviour in public, the injustice meted out to them must stop.
She was addressing the media as part of Autism Awareness programme jointly organised by medical professionals and other stakeholders, parents and families of children with autism in the Western Region.
She called on parents to quickly seek help where there are delays in achieving expected abilities or regression of already achieved abilities in children.
“It is important for a child to start pointing at objects, and sharing their interest in those objects with their friends and parents by one year,” she stated.
She pointed out that a child who is not exhibiting such interests, may need some intervention as soon as practical.
“Because of lack of understanding of this peculiar situation, those children are labelled as bad children, disrespectful and are abused by some parents and teachers.
“This is why it is important to educate mothers on their child’s developmental milestones,” she pointed out.
She stated that when autism goes undetected because of lack of awareness, the children miss the critical period of intervention- from birth to six years.
She explained that the affected children become more violent, unable to progress academically, unable to communicate and socialise with family and friends.
“So early detection of autism, and early intervention by paediatricians, psychologists, speech therapists can change the whole course or trajectory of the condition,” she added.
A mother of an autistic child, Mercy Eshun, encouraged parents who have such children not to hide them but rather bring them out so they mingle and play with other kids.
Another mother, Mercy Osei Ghansah, urged parents of autistic children to always adhere to all the instructions the medical experts will give to help those children develop.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi