The month of April is Autism Awareness Month, thus, we must shine a light on the challenges, barriers and hurdles people with autism are faced with in the society, schools, work places and the community at large.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is defined by the National Institutes of Health as a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn and behave. According to World Health Organization, 1 in 100 children has autism and while some children with autism can live independently, others have severe disabilities and require lifelong care and support.
As leaders, ensuring the provision of support for persons on the spectrum is paramount to promote inclusiveness. To achieve this, we must adopt a structured approach. First, there must be periodic review of existing educational and health policies as this is required to develop an effective system that makes it mandatory for nurses and early years teachers/educators to be trained in spotting early signs of autism and communication delays.
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