Autism Awareness Family Funfair by the Dewdrops Community Centre for Special Needs

In the month of April, Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the International Month for Autism Awareness. The theme for 2017 is: Towards Autonomy and Self-Determination. As an organization, the non-profit Dewdrops Community Centre for Special Needs Abuja in conjunction with the Comprehensive Autism and related Disabilities Education and Training (C.A.D.E.T.) Academy, organized an Autism Awareness Family Funfair, at the Canterbury Children's Park in Abuja, Nigeria on Saturday 22nd of April. The Funfair served as a platform for play and fun, "inclusive" interaction and discovery, to create awareness about autism, educate, inspire and encourage families, through various games and play items among families of children living with autism and various developmental disabilities as well as children and families of typical children from the public.

The event was well attended by many families of typical children as well as children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, some regular school teachers, prominent school owners, caregivers and members of the press. Although the event was arranged strictly for children and their families to unwind, relax and have fun, it also gave me the opportunity, as the special education Program Director of the Dewdrops Community Centre, together with my team, to educate and enlighten the participants on some important facts about the challenges of autism and related disabilities among families. The refreshments served were specially prepared as "gluten free" and "casein free" snacks and beverages which is nutrionists consider as healthier for consumption by children with autism.

The event culminated into an emotionally charged atmosphere of fun, lively games, cake cutting and group photo shoot sessions. If you missed this event, don't worry, more of our events and activities are scheduled for the months ahead. You may visit our Facebook page HERE:  to view the official photos. Or you may join our online Family Support Forum HERE to stay informed.

Some photo highlights are below, after the cut.

We are committed to excellence in training...

I believe that getting training in special education can create JOBS and passion for life... The screenshot below gives further evidence to my organization's commitment to excellence in training...‪#‎CertifiedTrainingPartners‬ ‪#‎SpecialEducation‬ ‪#‎Autism‬ ‪#‎Dyslexia‬ ‪#‎SpecialNeeds‬ ‪#‎Parents‬ ‪#‎Caregivers‬ ‪#‎RegularTeachers‬

 

Get more details at:

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2016 Autism Family Support & Stakeholders Forum

On Saturday, 2nd of April, Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the International Day for Autism Awareness. As an organization, the Comprehensive Autism and related Disabilities Education andTraining (C.A.D.E.T.) Academy in conjunction with the non-profit Dewdrops Community Centre for Special Needs Abuja, organized an Autism Family Support and Stakeholders Forum, at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Conference and Suites in Abuja, Nigeria. The forum served as a platform for networking and discovery, to create awareness about autism, educate, inspire and encourage families, through discussions sharing of experiences by parents of children living with autism and various developmental disabilities.

The event was well attended by many parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, some regular school teachers, prominent school owners, caregivers, and very important personalities in the Federal Government of Nigeria, such as Dr. Dennis R. Shatima – a renowned pediatric neurologist and the Chief Consultant Pediatrician at the National Hospital Abuja. Dr. Shatima who happened to be one of the main speakers at the forum, gave deep insights on the possible causes of developmental disabilities in children and the impact on their families. Mrs. Angela Ikuomola, a mother of a child with autism, and the founder of the Ephphatha Centre in Abuja, also gave a soul-stirring speech that gripped the attention of the participants for about 30 minutes.

The event gave me the opportunity, as the special education Program Director of the C.A.D.E.T. Academy and founder of the Dewdrops Community Centre, to educate and enlighten the participants on some hard facts about the challenges of autism and related disabilities among families. Some of the points highlighted on my paper are the need for all concerned stakeholders to be aware that families of a child with disabilities may be at risk from the following impacts:

• Financial hardship

• Strained emotional relationships

• Restricted social life

• Higher stress levels

• Modifications to family activities and goals

• Time restrictions caused by care demands.

These families are also likely to experience:

• Sleep deprivation

• Performing unpleasant procedures

• Lack of baby-sitters.

The event culminated into an emotionally charged atmosphere of lively discussion among the various participants, and some parents shared their heartfelt experiences.

If you missed this event, don't worry, more of our events and activities are scheduled for the months ahead. You may visit our Facebook page HERE:  to view the official photos. Or you may join our online Family Support Forum HERE.

Some photo highlights are below, after the cut.

And guess what? The family forum ended on a romantic note, with a marriage proposal to one of the staff of the C.A.D.E.T. Academy.

Down Syndrome is an Intellectual Disability. But did you know?

Today, 21st March is observed globally as World Down Syndrome Day! Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of an extra copy of chromosome 21. It is generally associated with physical growth delays, characteristic facial features, and mild to moderate intellectual disability.

I find it quite interesting that in many societies, including Nigeria where I live, there exists a significant number of individuals living with intellectual disabilities, yet very little is understood about them. Oftentimes, they have erroneously been tagged as "imbecile," or "mentally retarded."

Definition

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) defines intellectual disability as, 

"a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviour as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills. This disability originates before age 18."

From the definition, 2 deductions can be made as follows:

a.      Intellectual disability involves problems in adaptive behaviour, not just intellectual functioning.

b.     Persons with intellectual disability can improve (particularly,  those with mild intellectual disability).

Persons with intellectual disabilities are professionally classified as follows:

        a.      Mild (IQ of about 50 to 70)

        b.     Moderate (IQ of about 35 to 50)

        c.      Severe (IQ of about 20 to 35)

        d.     Profound (IQ below 20)

Causes and Identification

Some of the causes of intellectual disabilities are as follows:

a.      Chromosomal disorders such as in Down Syndrome.

b.     Disorders of brain formation.

c.      Maternal malnutrition during gestation.

d.     Fetal alcohol syndrome.

e.      Traumatic brain injury.

f.      Possible hereditary causes.

g.    Unstimulating adult-child interactions can also lead to mild intellectual disabilities.

Individuals with intellectual disabilities can be identified by assessments which combine individual IQ tests and adaptive behaviour measures. The IQ tests are used to assess intelligence while the adaptive behaviour usually involve the parents, teacher or other professional answering questions related to the individuals independence and daily living skills and maladaptive behaviour. (Hallahan, Kauffman, & Pullen, 2012).

Special Education for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities

Special education considerations for these individuals will be such that if the learner has a lower degree of intellectual disability, the teacher should emphasize academic skills. However, if the individual displays a higher degree of intellectual disability, emphasis should be on self-help, community living and vocational skills development.

When the intellectually disabled student is included in a regular classroom, teachers should plan creative ways to prevent the student from feeling socially isolated and becoming inattentive. Peer assisted learning (PAL) is a great way to achieve this goal.

As in most cases of developmental disabilities, early intervention programs can successfully improve the development of children with intellectual disabilities.

The Day Mrs Dotun Akande of Patrick Speech and Language Centre, Lagos - Visited the C.A.D.E.T. Academy

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!

Here are some pictures from the visit:

When Dew Drops...

Here's the documentary film that everyone is talking about now - "When Dew Drops." It's a documentary film about Autism and related Special Education Needs awareness and support in Nigeria. 

C.A.D.E.T. Academy 2015 Autism Awareness Dinner/Seminar/Fundraiser

The Comprehensive Autism and related Disabilities Education and Training (C.A.D.E.T.) Academy in conjunction with the non-profit Dewdrops Community Centre for Special Needs Abuja, organized an Autism Awareness Dinner/Seminar on 25th April 2015, at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, Nigeria. The event marked the climax of the various activities which the C.A.D.E.T. Academy conducted to mark the month of April as the International Month of Autism Awareness. The dinner served as a platform to create awareness about Autism, educate, inspire and encourage families, teachers and caregivers who are dealing with young students living with Autism, and also to raise funds to achieve the following aspirations under our registered non-profit arm (The Dewdrops Community Centre for Special Needs and Vulnerable Women): 

a.         Production of a 15-minute weekly radio and television program on special needs awareness.

b.         Scholarship/sponsorship of special needs students, and special education capacity building for teachers.

c.         Procurement and installation of special education needs resources, assessment materials and teaching aids.

d.         Building of a proposed Community Centre for Special Needs and Vulnerable Women in Abuja.

The event was well attended by many parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, some regular school teachers (who were also honoured with gift items), prominent school owners, caregivers, and very important personalities in the Federal Government of Nigeria, such as the Honourable Minister of Power -Professor Chinedu Nebo in company of his wife. The dinner was preceded by a red carpet session followed by poetry and musical sessions to  entertain the guests. The duo of Mrs Dayo Benjamin-Laniyi and Mr. Koffi Idowu ensured that there was not a single dull moment throughout the occasion.

The event gave me the opportunity, as the special education Program Director of the C.A.D.E.T. Academy and founder of the Dewdrops Community Centre, to educate and enlighten the participants on some facts and misconceptions about Autism, the present issues and challenges to understanding Autism in Nigeria. We also discussed some of the signs and how to conduct comprehensive tests on individuals who are suspected to be living with Autism. We further considered certain research-based and evidence-based practices we could possibly adopt from the United States of America and other more advanced countries.

The event culminated with a fundraising session aimed at achieving the earlier stated aspirations and to provide world class special education at little or no cost to a large pool of low income earning families in Abuja and its environs. To support the non-profit Dew Drops Community Centre initiative, please send us email to: admin@cacademy.sch.ng

If you missed this event, don't worry, more of our events and activities are scheduled for the months ahead. You may visit our Facebook page HERE:  to view the official photos. Some photo highlights are below, after the cut.