#AboutLastNight on My Weekly Special Needs Radio Show

#AboutLastNight

Our discussion last night on the "Experience of Having a Sibling with Special Needs" at Kiss 99.9 FM was quite emotional and it got me thinking of what could be happening to adults living with special needs who did not have and still do not have access to special education needs services. Many thanks to all organizations catering for the needs of adults living with special needs especially Patrick Speech and Language Centre. However, we need more hands on deck for a more sustainable and effective long term plan for these set of individuals.

Mr. Anfani Ayam, CEO of Climax Swim School Abuja held back nothing as he shared his experience with us about his younger brother living with autism who could not talk or communicate his needs at the age of two. According to Mr. Ayam, his brother, sat, crawled and walked late compared to every other child in his family. When he was of school age, he found it difficult to read, write or socialize or cope with school work. On several occasions, he was brought back home from school with injury on different parts of his body because the only way he knew to communicate was through violence.

He was eventually withdrawn from school to be home-schooled by his family who had no diagnosis for his condition or knowledge on how to teach an individual with special need. He was able to identify his ABCs and 123, he however regressed and lost all academic skills after a while. He is now 25 years old but his siblings and most especially his "warrior mum" still cater for his needs because he lacks the ability to perform important daily independent living skills such as self-grooming (bathing and shaving himself), cooking, doing his own laundary, socializing with others etc.

An important aspect of adolescents living with special needs which most people fail to consider is that these individuals too do have feelings for the opposite sex, they desire to have healthy relationships, get married and eventually have their own families. But how do we help them have such experiences if we do not give them the opportunity to

be educated alongside their neurotypical mates?

We therefore need to educate and empower ourselves with knowledge of what special needs/disability is all about so that we can be a little more patient, understanding, loving and empathetic towards these individuals in our environments.

Dr. PJ Fakudze and I concluded the show by highlighting the importance of a multi-disciplinary team in addressing the needs of children and adults living with special needs. We also touched on the importance of Individualized Family Support Programs, early identification and intervention, daily living skills, independent living skills, behavioural therapy, aqua-therapy, etc.

Join us again next week, same time, same station.

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