On the 30th of October 2015, The
Comprehensive Autism and related Disabilities Education and Training
(C.A.D.E.T.) Academy Abuja was visited by Mrs Dotun Akande, Founder and Proprietress
of the Patrick Speech and Language Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. The Patrick Speech
and Language Centre is a unique centre for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders,
Asperger Syndrome and other related developmental disabilities. For over 10 years, the Centre has been
at the forefront of increasing awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders in
Nigeria.
Autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that is characterized, in
varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal
communication and repetitive behaviours. There is often nothing about how
people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with
ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different
from most other people.
* About 1 in 68 children has been
identified with ASD according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring
(ADDM) Network.
* ASD is
reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
* ASD is
almost 5 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in 189).
* ASD is
a lifelong disability and there is no known cure.
* Early
diagnosis and intervention could help a great deal in managing ASD.
*(Source: United States Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention).
The visit
offered an opportunity for cross fertilization of ideas in the areas of special
education needs and awareness efforts between the two organizations. We would like to thank Mrs Dotun Akande for honouring us with her visit, her words of encouragement and also for her kind donation in support of the children on our program. We celebrate you ma!
