Some of South Africa’s black community are unfamiliar with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children with ASD are often misunderstood due to their unique ways of perceiving and reacting to the world.
Their brilliant minds and uniqueness are what sets them apart from everyone else because of their ability to see everything through a different lens, hence their response to things is different from normal.
The reality of an autistic child in the black community
In most instances, because some people are uneducated about ASD and what it entails, many find themselves insensitive and criticising children who have been diagnosed with the disorder.
This is why when an autistic child publicly experiences a meltdown or requires attention in a not-so-gentle manner, they are regarded as spoilt or undisciplined.
This is very common in the black community and it is believed that every uncommon behavior of a child is associated with how they are raised. Parents of autistic children are mostly criticized by their close family, friends, and people from the church. This can often be discouraging to the parent.
One thing people need to understand is that parents raising children with ASD spend a lifetime having this challenging and learning journey. They learn every day as they try to understand and accommodate their kids better. As a parent, you need to make the world accommodative to your child. In the same manner, you need to prepare your child for them to adapt to the world.
Facts about ASD
Let’s unpack the truth about children with ASD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), ASD is a developmental disorder that affects how a person interacts and perceives the environment around them. It is a spectrum, which means it has a wide variety of symptoms and these symptoms differ in how severe they can be. Not every autistic child has all the ASD symptoms.
Information from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a guide created by the American Psychiatric Association, states that symptoms of ASD are mostly diagnosed at two years of age. Some symptoms are very mild and are diagnosed much later.
These symptoms, to name a few are (not restricted to):
- Inability to interact socially with others
- Repetitive behavior
- Delayed speech or no speech at all
- Having an unusual ton of voice that may be high-pitched or robot-like
- Very little eye-contact
- Being unable to interpret other people’s behaviours
- Inability to hold back and forth conversations
The report from the NIH further explains that children with ASD are sensitive to sensory inputs, meaning they may respond extremely to what is normal to others. For example, light, sound, touch, clothing, and temperature can be regarded as triggers to them. If an autistic child does not like a certain type of clothing or does not tolerate loud noises, they may act out violently or cause a scene as a means of asking for help. This behaviour is misinterpreted by people who don’t understand autism and they pass on bad judgment.
Strengths of an autistic child
How children with ASD are wired is that they function well with routine, according to Seattles’s Children Foundation, their minds are excellent at capturing and remembering information in detail. This is why they notice and get upset when there is a change to their regular routines. Autistic children also have an extraordinary ability to remember facts, dates, and specific details about various subjects. That is why they are at times regarded as geniuses due to their ability to process information exceptionally better than that of normal people.
They thrive in their respective spaces when their uniqueness and brilliance are embraced and honed in the right direction. The black community needs to learn and familiarise themselves with information about ASD so that they create a conducive environment for autistic children to grow comfortably to feel safe and accepted despite their distinctiveness.
Also see: 5 Ways parents can help children deal with anxiety
