02/04/2021
Media Release (Focus on autistic children)
World Autism Awareness (and Acceptance) Day
2 April 2021
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – also known as autism - is a developmental disorder that is lifelong. It is classified as a developmental disability because it is about how someone’s brain developed. It is a difference in the brain, and as a result, autistic people experience the world differently.
Autism affects how the person communicates, behaves and interacts with other people. Autistic people experience the world differently.
Autism can be diagnosed at any age , but symptoms are usually noticed in the first couple of years of a child’s life.
Autism is also known as a spectrum disorder. This is because there are different types of presentations and the severity of the symptoms people experience varies from one person to the next. Autism can present as high support, moderate support or low support.
If you can identify three or more of the following signs in your child, it’s time to see a medical professional. Please remember that any signs of developmental delay need to be investigated as soon as possible.
Things to look out for include:
• Little awareness of others.
• Self-injurious behaviour, for example head banging, scratching or biting.
• Imaginative play may be poor, for example the child cannot play with a wooden block and pretend it is a car.
• Unusual habits such as rocking, hand flapping, spinning of objects and so forth.
• The development of speech and language may be unusual, absent or delayed.
• Indifference to, or dislike of being touched, held or cuddled.
• Minimal reaction to verbal input and sometimes acting as though deaf.
• Sense of touch, taste, sight, hearing and/or smell may be heightened or lowered.
• Changes in routine or the environment may cause distress.
• Sudden laughing or crying for no apparent reason (inappropriate laughing or crying).
• Pursues activities repetitively and refuses to change.
• Poor gross/fine motor skills.
• Inappropriate attachment to objects.
• Abnormal sleeping patterns.
• Displays extreme distress and/or tantrums for no apparent reason.
• Prefers to play alone.
• Difficulty in interacting with others and little or no eye contact
• No real fear of dangers (impulsivity).
There are no medical tests for autism which makes it difficult to diagnose. A diagnosis is done by specialised doctors assessing the child’s behaviour and development. There is currently no cure for autism. Researchers have shown us that early
intervention can help an autistic child’s quality of life improve significantly. Speech therapy and occupational therapy are some of the interventions that will help your child develop in a positive way.
Early diagnosis is important. However, parents and caregivers should not wait for an autism diagnosis before they begin with interventions for their child. Any developmental delay is a warning bell. Children grow and develop very quickly in the first six years of their lives. A child in South Africa has the right to free medical care at any state medical facility. This includes speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy and physiotherapy. These interventions could have huge and positive impacts on the child’s development.
Even though autism is a lifelong condition, with the appropriate type of intervention and support, autistic children can go on to lead productive, inclusive, and fulfilling lives.
It is very important to take your child to your local
clinic for their check-ups. Do not miss your appointments. Any developmental delay/s should be investigated by your healthcare provider. Tell your health care provider what you are concerned about. Ask for a referral to the local hospital, and ask to see a developmental paediatrician.
Autism South Africa has Regional Development Officers in each province, except in the Western Cape.
There are many things parents can do to help autistic children overcome their challenges, make daily life a little easier and have a successful future.
Here are some useful tips:
Change the way you speak about autism - Let’s change how we speak about autism. Instead of saying, “how can we COPE with our autistic child”, how about saying “let’s CELEBRATE our autistic child”. This is closely linked to the next tip. Our thoughts strongly influence our feelings and our behaviour.
Think Neurodiversity; Presume Competence.
This is our theme for 2021. It is the same theme we had for 2020, as it is so important!
Celebrate your child’s every achievement, no matter how small.
Don’t compare them to others.
Put greater emphasis on their talents. If a child has a special interest in cars and tractors, for example, use that to motivate learning other skills. Use a book about farming and tractors to teach reading, use calculating the number of hectares a tractor can plough in a day to teach them maths, and encourage an interest in science and technology by studying how a tractor works.
Learn about autism - The more you know about autism, the better it is for you and your child. The internet can be a great source of information and misinformation. Visit A;SA’s website (aut2know.co.za) for more information and educate your family and friends about autism.
Get help as soon as possible - It’s best to get help as early as possible. The earlier autistic children get help, the greater their chances of leading an independent life. It is worth repeating, early intervention is critical.
Move from simply raising awareness to acceptance
At Autism South Africa, we observe international World Autism Awareness Day. But it should not stop at just raising awareness. We are strong advocates for acceptance as well. You have a unique, one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-repeated, amazing child. See their potential. Believe they can… and they WILL.
Do not give up – ever!
It’s impossible to predict the course of autism. It is a lifelong journey, across the lifespan of the individual. Like everyone else, autistic people have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.
Get support - Joining a support network is a great way to meet and interact with other families facing the same challenges. Parents can share information, get advice and lean on each other for emotional support. Use social networks such as Facebook to meet and chat with other parents. This support network extends to professionals as well. Your child’s teacher, therapists and doctors are also a source of support.
Advocate for your child - Put in another way, Fight for your child’s rights. You are your child’s strongest ally and advocate. You may have to knock on many doors before you get the support that your child needs. Know your rights, know your child’s rights. There have been cases where a Care Dependency Grant has been wrongfully denied as the official was of the opinion that autism is not a disability. Do not accept no for an answer if you know your child has a right to the grant. Contact more senior officials at SASSA if you have to. Just don’t give up with the first “NO” you get. Push forward.
Socialise - Sometimes it might look like an autistic child doesn’t want to play with other children, but it
might be that they do not know how to start a conversation with others, or how to play a particular game.
Your child might also be having sensory issues, or cannot sit on a swing, or play on a slide. This is why it is important for the occupational therapist to assess your child, and you will understand why your child avoids certain activities. Find social interaction activities online for your child to do at do2learn.com
Understand your child’s sensory profile - This is linked to the above point. Many autistic people battle to process everyday sensory information such as sounds, sights and smells, and might be over-sensitive or under-reactive to these sensory inputs. It can have a seriously negative impact on a child’s life. A child could become stressed or anxious and feel physical pain because of this. Seek the assistance of a trained sensory integration occupational therapist. Also try to understand your child’s sensory profile and manage/avoid the negative sensory input.
Stay positive - Autistic children cannot learn in an environment where they are constantly belittled. (Autistic children learn in a supportive and encouraging environment). Know your child’s strengths and focus on them. Remember, there is more than one correct way to do most things.
Take care of yourself - Looking after yourself is just as important as caring for your child. When you feel
overwhelmed, find a place where you can be alone and rest for a while. Ask for help from people you trust and the type of help you need.
Get to know your child - Find out what causes your child to present with behaviour that challenges. There is almost always a reason for certain behaviours. Find out what causes your child to behave in a certain way. Once you understand what affects your child, it will become easier to deal with potential challenges and to prevent difficult situations.
Autism South Africa’s theme for 2021 is Think Neurodiversity; Presume Competence (the same as 2020). This is because we would really love for this message to get out there, and for autistic persons to be viewed in terms of their wonderful strengths and talents. We acknowledge the unique challenges that autistic persons may have and for which they require support. Each autistic person is 100% unique, with their own needs and sensory profiles.
Our Art Auction - We want to celebrate the wonderful, gifted creativity and the talents of our autistic community. Our “Autistic Artists” are welcome to submit artwork for the auction! They may
submit 2 works that will be auctioned online. We will accept submissions until 15 April 2021.
The art auction will then go online from 17 to 30 April 2021. All money raised for the artwork will go to the artist. This is not a fundraising event for Autism South Africa. We want to support the autistic community. If you are interested in the Art Auction, please contact
Kaylene at educator@autismsouthafrica.org
I want you to imagine a world where every single human being is treated as worthy of dignity and respect, full of potential and growth, as a wonderful human being, and for no other reason than they are human beings. Period. Imagine such a world…
If you would like to know more about autism, how it is diagnosed, how to recognise signs and where to get support, please contact us at the following, or view our social media pages:
https://aut2know.co.za/
https://www.facebook.com/AutismSouthAfrica
https://www.instagram.com/autismsouthafrica_asa/
info@autismsouthafrica.org
Juliet Carter
National Director of Autism South Africa
