Autism, giftedness

The April Blue Month of autism awareness is here again.

We celebrate neurodiversity at this time of the month, creating awareness among those who do not understand what autism is.

A few years ago, during the month of April, when the media was awash with advocacy on autism, some caregivers shared their own sentiments about the advocacy itself that is usually carried out.

They lauded the idea of creating awareness to address stigma and other pertinent issues.

However, one mother was quick to add that living with a child with autism is not as easy as some professionals make it sound.

In a bid to express solidarity, these professionals were accused of going overboard, giving assurances which they found hard to identify with, giving their own lived experiences.

Accusation

One such accusation is the claim that children with autism are gifted.

They agreed that there could be gifted children as occurs in every community, but there was no need to make such assertions just to make them feel good, because their reality was far from such statements.

They bemoaned the stress of seeing other children as old as their own children achieving their developmental milestones seamlessly, often comparing them even with their younger siblings.

They did not understand why they had been struggling to send their children to various therapists, and still much could not be said about the response to the interventions.

These parents and caregivers described their haunting pain and disappointment of having such a child, which they never recover from. 

There were very unpredictable high and low emotional moments that were often provoked by the general public, when parents dared to step outside their homes with some of these children.

Some people sharply criticised them for “spoiling” their children and not calling them out for their socially unacceptable behaviour, while others refused to interact with such children outrightly creating the impression that they did not want to inconvenience the children.

Stress

Many marriages have been broken by the stress of having a child with autism.

It is the case that the mother either dumps the child on the lone father, or the father disappears into thin air, totally neglecting his responsibilities and severing all ties.

All of this was in addition to the stigma and rejection from some extended family members who look upon these children as cursed.

In light of these experiences and more, they felt scandalised to be told that their children were gifted.

Autism

Autism is a neurological difference in brain development that affects the way a person develops. In recent times, this difference has become more common, with more boys being generally diagnosed ahead of girls.

Autism typically manifests itself in an apparent deficit in communication, social interaction and behaviour.

Autism commonly co-occurs with other conditions, including learning difficulties, epilepsy, sensory impairments or problems with mental health.

In spite of all these challenges, the fact remains that there are some individuals living with autism who show exceptional talents in specific areas such as mathematics, attention to detail, art and creativity, among others.

These gifts and potential have not been harnessed because families have not been offered the necessary financial and psychosocial support to surmount the challenges around them.

While we seek to raise awareness of early detection and its benefits, society must consider creating tailored support and accommodations that will focus on, encourage and nurture each child’s strengths, interests and talents.

By embracing neurodiversity and promoting inclusion, we can create a stimulating environment for children with autism and their families to thrive.

“Autism must not define us. We define autism”. (Kerry Margro)

The writer is a student, 
Ghana School of Law.
E-mail: l2ashong@gmail.com