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Press Release - Why We Set Up Schools For Autistic Children
Text of Interview with City People Magazine

akande_img Much has been said about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger Syndrome, the invisible child disorder dreaded by parents worldwide. The ailment is regarded as one of the major reasons of psychological traumas parents suffer, more so, when the cause of the disorder is unknown and a medical solution is yet to be found.

In Nigeria, the case has reached an alarming proportion. According to Mrs Dotun Akande, the development looks worrisome as more parents are in denial of this unfortunate disorder which affects the child right from birth. The ex-banker whose child suffered from the syndrome receive motivation to set up the Patrick Speech and Languages Centre, GRA, Ikeja to deal with the management of the disorder. She was trained at the famous National Autistic Centre, United Kingdom. In this interview with City People, she talks on all there is to know about the disorder, especially the myth that children outgrow it.

According to her, “The only solution is treatment” In this interview she spoke with Seye Kehinde and Wole Alakija on why she decided to open the school. Below is an extract from the interview. Refer to City People Magazine of October 25, 2006.

CP: SO what are the signs of Autism and Asperger Syndrome in a child?
Akande: Sometimes, they can’t talk and when they do, they keep talking endlessly without communicating anything to you. Those are the ones we call Asperger Syndrome. They are high-functioning. They do well in class, they hear and listen and are intelligent. The problem is that they are entirely in their world because they don’t wait for your reaction or read facial expression. There are also the very serious cases. Those ones don’t have a language. You have to teach them every little things like social skills, promotional skills, language, academics, communication and play.

CP: So when is the best time to tackle it?
Dotun: It’s a case of early intervention. The earlier you start the treatment, the better the child becomes.

CP: What are the statistics of childen with this problem locally?
Dotun: I may not know the exact figures but we have a lot of parents with autisctic children. The sad thing is that most parents are in denial because f somany reasons.

CP: Like the stigma?
Dotun: Absolutely and the other sad one is the ignorance in th belief that the children would outgrow it. Children don’t outgrow AUTISM. The only solution is therapy. If you don’t, the child will grow up to be what you don’t want him/her to be. This is because no drug has yet been developed to treat it. Its purely therapeutic.

PSLC PRESS RELEASE

First Autistic School Opens In Lagos.

Press Interview of October, 2006 With City People Magazine Seye Kehinde and Wole Alakija. Read More...

Mrs Akande on the set of New Dawn With Funmi Iyanda discusses Autism with a panel of other professionals on Special Needs Children, January, 2007. Read More...

Sunday Punch Interview of April, 2007 with Dotun Akande

Sunday Punch Interview of May, 2009 with Chinyere Fred-Adegbulugbe discussing some of the challenges as a parent of an autistic child.

Press Interview With Edumark Magazine on special needs for autistic children, 2010. Read More...

Press Interview With Josephine Igbinovia of Sunday Vanguard on Vista Woman for autistic children, Sept. 2010. Read More...

Punch Interview of May 4, 2011 With Bukola Adebayo of The Punch Newspaper on Austic child

Sunday Punch Interview of May 15, 2011 Why I left banking to cater for autistic kids by Dr. (Mrs.) Dotun Akande

Excerpt posted on Thursday, Sept. 22nd, 2011 by BellaNaija.com. Nollywood Star Monalisa Chinda promotes Autism Awareness in Nigeria.

PSLC EVENTS........

Autism Facts

• Autism is a complex neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain
• Autism appears in the first three years of the life of a child
• The actual cause of the disorder is unknown.
• Early intervention can save the situation of any child affected by Autiam