Relevance of proper care for children with special needs
Symptoms of autism are usually noticed first by parents and other caregivers sometime during the child's first three years. Although autism is present at birth (congenital), signs of the disorder may be difficult to identify or diagnose during infancy.
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Parents often become concerned when a child does not like to be held and does not seem interested in playing certain games. Sometimes, a child starts talking at the same time as other children of his or her age, then loses his or her language skills.
They also may be confused about their hearing abilities. It often seems that a child with autism does not hear, yet at other times, he or she may appear to hear a distant background noise, such as the whistle of a train.
Speaking at a ceremony when staff of Cal Bank visited the Autism Awareness, Care and Training Centre in Accra to acquant themselves with activities at the centre, Ms Serwah Quaynor, the founder of the facility, called on the government, Ghanaians and corporate bodies to support children with autism.
Care for children with disability
According to her, taking care of children with the disability was expensive and support from individuals would go a long way to help the centre adequately cater for the needs of the children.
The staff presented a cheque for GH¢700 and other items to the centre during the interactive visit that enabled them to show love to the children.
Briefing the visitors on the activities of the centre, Ms Quaynor said autistic children were like any other children in the country, adding that they only needed specific care to make their lives comfortable.
Challenges
Speaking about challenges confronting the centre, Ms Quaynor said the centre, which currently housed about 35 children, lacked adequate infrastructural facilities to accommodate the increasing number of children with the disability.
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She said there were no learning spaces for people with autism who were above age 20 and called on philanthropists and the public to assist them establish an adult centre to accommodate such people.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Ms Quaynor said the school was in dire need of a bus to help carry students to events outside the centre. She also called for sponsorship packages for needy children and teachers as well.
Advice to parents
Ms Quaynor also advised parents to seek help for their autistic children and not to succumb to any superstitious belief that such children were cursed by the gods.
The Marketing Executive of Cal Bank, Ms Antoinette Kofie, said the visit was in fulfillment of the bank’s promise to the centre, adding that the bank was committed to investing in the education and health of children, hence its interest in the centre.
Ms Kofie commended the centre for its commitment towards children with autism.
She advised Ghanaians not to abandon children with the disability in society, adding “they are intelligent children who can contribute to the society”.
In another development, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has established a school for children aged five-16 years old with autism spectrum disorders, moderate and complex learning difficulties and other special educational needs to unearth their huge potentials.
Woodfield Manor Special Needs School
According to Madam Cornelia Boateng, her institution, the Woodfield Manor Special Needs School at Frafraha, offered programmes designed to facilitate the learning of individuals who for a variety of reasons required additional support and pedagogical method in order to participate and meet learning objectives.
Woodfield Manor gives the children opportunities to flourish and have potential to lead fulfilling lives and contribute to the social, cultural economic development of their communities.
The school, which has capacity for 30 children and a potential to expand to 100, is working in partnership with four special needs schools in the UK and specialist practitioners from the UK schools will be visiting Woodfield Manor on a quarterly basis to support the children, teachers and families of the children.