I found this article very interesting, I couldn’t waive it aside because it was very educating. I feel sharing this piece would help someone out there.

It is about Autism from Jessica Okanlawon, the CEO of ALEXANDER OKANLAWON Autism Foundation and Consulting. The primary interview was conducted by Anthonia Oboko of Business Day Newspaper.

According to the interview, Jessica Okanlawon’s love and passion for helping Autistic Spectrum Disorder Children​ started from her personal experience of raising her Autistic brother when she was just eight years old. This led her into Establishing her Foundation for Educational, Counseling and Psychology in 2010.

Her aim was to provide Resources and Events for individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. It also aimed to bring awareness to the growing Epidemic, to help perplexed families find the next line of action to take after diagnosis​.

The Foundation provides Consulting, Evaluation, Assessment, Therapeutic Counseling, Applied behavior, fills in and bridges the gap in order to make connection. Simply put, it provides Resources to families of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The Foundation supports and trains families on what to do at the various stages of life after diagnosis.

She does not only have personal experience to hinge on, Jessica Okanlawon has professional training. She has a Doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology and Education, specialising in ASD.

According to Jessica Okanlawon, ASD has it’s roots in Early development. Parents begin to notice Autism between the age of 2 – 3 years. 1 out of 68 children has Autism. Studies show that ASD is 4 – 5 times common in boys than girls.

The signs that a child has Autism Spectrum Disorder are the behaviours like failing to make eye contact, no response to name, do not share smiles, don’t have gestures or repeatedly playing with toys in an unusual way.

Since it is a fast growing developmental Disorder, parents should immediately seek medical help when they notice these signs including lack of speech or social skills in their Children.

ASD according to her is a pervasive developmental Disorder and not a disease, therefore, when a Child does not meet its developmental milestones like age appropriate motor movement, speech production difficulty, difficulty in social interaction and engages in repetitive behaviours​ then urgent medical measures should be sought.

She maintains that each Autistic Spectrum Disorder Child is unique that is why the term Autism is moved to ASD. The individual uniqueness has made some to have some form of Independence​, Some have skills like Academic, Music or Visual that is why ABILITIES should be main focus rather than the DISABILITIES.

She encourages early intervention so that Children can learn, receive treatment and therapies that will assist them live quality life.

Since ASD is a life long condition which has no prevention nor cure, early intervention can reduce symptoms, improve skills and abilities therefore intervention plans can be tailored to address specific needs like APPLIED BEHAVIOURAL ANALYSIS (ABA) which focuses on Communication, play, Social​, Academic, Self care etc.

Early intervention can help a Child gain Independence. Some live with significant disability and can’t live independently therefore OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT) that brings together Cognitive, Physical and Motor skills helps the individual to gain Independence.

Other therapies are PICTURE EXCHANGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ( PECS) that allows individual with little or no verbal ability to communicate using Pictures.

PIVOTAL RESPONSE TREATMENT (PRT) helps to teach Language, helps decrease disruptive\self  stimulatory behaviours​ while Social, Communication and Academic Skills increase.

GLUTEN FREE, CASE IN FREE DIET (GFCT) is for Dietary, Nutritional intervention that helps in reducing symptoms of ASD.

SENSORY INTERGRATION (SI) identifies disruptions in the way the brain processes movement​, touch and smell in a more productive way.

Each individual should be well taken care in order to live normal, independent, fulfilling life since everyone in life deserves opportunities in life.