Autism care centre opens in Georgetown to offer support to children with ASD

Jan 12, 2025 Features / Columnists, News, Waterfalls Magazine

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Kaieteur News– Specialized support services play an essential role in society, particularly for conditions that are often under-recognized and misunderstood. One such condition is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a lifelong developmental condition that affects how people communicate, learn, and interact. In an effort to raise awareness and offer support, Rosanne Farley, a passionate advocate for autism care, has opened a centre dedicating to serving children with ASD.

The Early Childhood Services Autism Care Centre, located at Lot 6 Duncan Street, Georgetown, opened its doors on April 2, 2024. The centre’s creation was inspired by Farley’s own journey as a mother. In 2015, her daughter was diagnosed with ASD at the age of two, a time when Farley felt lost and overwhelmed due to the lack of information and resources available in Guyana.

Reflecting on her experience, Farley shared, “There was little to nothing in terms of information and services here. In an attempt to help my daughter, I committed myself to reading everything I could about the condition, attending every workshop, every training session. I also studied online courses and worked at the Step-by-Step School for children with autism.”

With the knowledge she gained, Farley witnessed significant improvement in her daughter, who is now preparing to write her CXC exams at an A-level school. Inspired by her daughter’s progress, Farley made it her mission to help other families. “I wanted to offer the help I wish I had when my daughter was first diagnosed,” she explained.

At the Centre, Farley offers a range of interventions, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, screening services, and one-on-one sessions to monitor progress. In addition to opening the Centre, Farley has hosted sensitization sessions at various organizations and provided autism training for teachers. “We know that there are teachers in mainstream schools who need to be aware of strategies to support children with autism,” Farley said, emphasizing the importance of equipping educators with the right tools.

As for the success of the Centre, Farley is pleased with the progress seen in the children who have attended. “There was one child who spent only eight weeks with us. He had some behavioural issues, but after the programme, he was doing so much better, and he was discharged. We’ve made great strides, and we hope to expand our services even further,” she shared.

However, Farley has faced challenges, particularly in securing resources for the children. “Children have varying issues, and sometimes the furniture gets broken. We need more learning materials, toys, and reliable personnel to help with the children,” she explained.

Farley also discussed common signs of autism, which can be difficult to recognize, as symptoms can vary. Some common behaviours include a lack of eye contact, self-stimulatory movements (such as hand-flapping or head-banging), and failure to respond to one’s name.

“It’s important for parents to be aware of these signs, as early intervention is crucial,” Farley stated. She encouraged parents to seek help as soon as they notice unusual behaviours in their child.  “If you notice something strange, get it checked out. When you bring a child for help at ages seven to nine, it becomes much more difficult to assist them,” she added.

Farley also advocated for systemic changes to address autism in Guyana. “Many parents are in denial about their child’s challenges. I would like to see universal testing for children by age two, and we need more public awareness. There are still misconceptions, with many thinking that if you have autism, you are ‘retarded,’ but that’s far from the truth,” she stated. “We also need trained specialists to work with children.”

Looking ahead, Farley is planning to launch a parent support group for children with autism in February. Despite the challenges, she is proud of the work her Centre has accomplished so far. “We’ve done a lot, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made,” she said.

Farley shared some advice to children with autism stating, “Your condition does not define what you are capable of doing, you can do anything you get our mind to.”

Farley invites parents or anyone seeking assistance with autism to reach out to her Centre. She can be contacted at 622-4201 for interventions, autism-related knowledge, or to join the Centre’s efforts.

(Autism care centre opens in Georgetown to offer support to children with ASD)

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• Autism, care centre, Early Childhood Services

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