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First Lady’s Foundation holds vigil for children with autism
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. To emphasize its importance, April 2nd, is dedicated annually to raising awareness about the disorder.
In a call for children and persons with autism to lead full and meaningful lives, the First Lady’s Foundation held a blue light vigil at the Children’s Monument at the National Park last evening.
The First Lady addressing the gathering.
Attending the vigil were members of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, Guyana Greenheart Autistic School, Step-by-Step Guyana, Gifted Hands, representatives from various ministries and the keynote speaker and event host First Lady, Deolatchmee Ramotar.
Addressing the small gathering, Mrs. Ramotar said that her foundation is partnering with local organizations to promote awareness activities on autism.
She explained that autism is a spectrum of disorders that range from mild to severe. “It is a mental condition that can be detected from early childhood, usually during the first three years of life.”
According to Mrs. Ramotar, signs of autism can be identified by children’s inability to communicate, poor social skills and repetitive behaviour. Autistic children tend to have difficulties in making eye contact and in engaging people.
“Many parents, teachers and caregivers of young children are unaware of what autism truly is and how to care for an autistic child. There are signs that one should look for in young children.
Children without autism maintain social engagement with persons around them.
They are able to coordinate their gaze, vocalization and gesture. They incorporate others in their pretend play, such as a child offering you imaginary tea in their play teacup. They share their excitement…while children with autism do not follow gestures, avoid eye contact, do not engage with other people during play, often times will not respond to their names being called, do not share enjoyment with others and avoid making social connections with persons.”
Mrs. Ramotar further emphasised that early detection is very important in order for the needs of autistic children to be taken care of, including education, social and psychological needs.
“Autistic children have no physical incapacitation, they look normal, and so their challenges are often misunderstood. Placing autistic children in the regular school system, for example, can be very tortuous since their peers might misunderstand them and subject them to taunting and teasing.
The small but appreciative audience at the event.
“Awareness should also entail teaching others to promote respect for autistic people. We must not deny people with autism their fundamental human rights by discriminating against or excluding them.
Education and training programmes to spread public awareness are very important. Let us intensify efforts to ensure that children with autism are not discriminated against or treated unfairly,” the First Last urged.
Sarah Insanally, chairperson of the board of directors from Step-by-Step Guyana, said that to determine whether or not a child has autism, attention should be placed on their ability to function socially, communication and restricted and repetitive stereotypical behaviour.
Insanally explained that the Step-by-Step opened its doors in September 2011 to five children with autism. Since then, the school has grown rapidly, trying to meet the urgent need to educate children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders in the country.
According to statistics, globally, boys are more likely to suffer from autism than girls. Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to the promotion of awareness on this disorder, reports that autism affects 1 in 183 girls and 1 in 42 boys.
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