Autism: With early intervention, there’s hope for sufferers

Autism is a mental condition characterised by difficulty in communicating and interacting. The exact cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently unknown but many attribute it to witchcraft. Medical experts debunk this and say early intervention can help a child with autism live a better life.


“He is very good in handling electronic gadgets. He memorises everything he hears. He sings too”. Halima Usman (Not real name) highlighting the talents Mohammed, her son with autism, has.  
Usman discovered Mohammed had autism when he was two years old. Being her first child, she did not notice anything wrong with him, but a family member saw him and said he should be taken to the hospital for check up. They did some tests, and the doctors said the child had autism. And so she went online to read more about it.

Experts say there is no cure for autism yet. “Right now there is no cure ,but  there are ways of managing it. Children that have been identified usually have a therapist that teaches them how to interact with people, so they can function well in the society,” Ogunsanya  said.
“But all hope is not lost,” Ogunsanya  encouraged. “Like I said, it’s a spectrum. There  are people with  a mild  form  of autism,and there are people with a severe form. Some grow and function in society like great adults and if they don’t tell you, you will not know they have that condition. Those with severe forms will need help even as adults. There is no treatment but early interventions help a great deal,” she said emphatically.