Helping our Teenagers and Adults with Special Needs Build Healthy Relationships and Live Successfully

For many individuals living with disabilities (physical, visual, learning related or otherwise), day to day functionalities ranging from self-grooming to other activities of daily living, and more importantly socialization and initiating healthy relationships can be challenging. For many parents and teachers of children with special needs, a primary concern is how these children will function as adults. It is therefore important for educators and family members to teach them, early enough, functional skills that will help them live more functional lives as adults.

For four days in February, Patrick Speech and Language Centre will be hosting parents, teachers, guardians, care givers, and all other persons working with people with disabilities for a training themed HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND AUTISM- A GUIDE TO ADULTHOOD. The training will focus on:

 

·        Self-care, human sexuality, relationship development and a proper guide to adulthood

 

·        Provision of guidance and information on the above mentioned to families, communities and persons working with individuals with disabilities.

 

                                                                            

The training will hold between the 15th and 18th of February 2016 at the St Glorias College 28/29, Adekunle Fajuyi Way GRA-Ikeja, Lagos from 10am – 3:00pm daily. It will be facilitated by Dr. Lawrence Sutton, a renowned psychologist from the US. Dr. L Sutton has worked for over a decade with individuals with developmental disabilities, he is also one of the forefront facilitators at the yearly GTB Autism Seminar in Nigeria.

It is important for me to say here that Patrick Speech and Languages Centre (PSLC) has been at forefront of training on autism and other related disorders. It is a centre designed to assist individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Asperger’s Syndrome, Speech and Language problems and other learning disabilities.

So back to the training! Is it going to cost you money? Yes! But at a subsidized rate of 50,000 Naira. Also there will be discount for 5 or more participants coming together.

How do you register or pay? Simple, send name and phone number of the participant(s) to patrickspeech1@gmail.com. And pay to the account, Patrick Speech and Languages Centre, GTBank 0004805503.

 

For further enquiries in this regard, please call 08180127108, 08038957022, 08030833602.

My Claim to Sameness

One behaviour that is noticeable in individuals with autism is a desire to follow routines. Some may stick to a daily routine, or the routine may be in how they dress up, or how they get work done etc. Recently I met a child on the spectrum, whose hair combing routine was fascinating. For every time she had to comb her hair, she went about it in a way that almost seemed like a ritual.

While I stared at her as she did her thing (I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it), fascinated by her routine, I remembered that I had written an article, “my claim to sameness’’, for an autism online campaign in 2014. I decided to share that article with you:

“There are two possible routes that lead to my house which I like to call the ‘In-route’ and ‘Out-route’. For reasons I cannot remember, I take the ‘Out-route’ when I leave the house and the ‘In-route’ when returning (I guess it’s just a weird habit). Recently, on my way home, a motorcyclist turned to my “Out-route” and immediately, my brain revolted. I insisted that he passed the “In-route” to which he obliged. He didn’t get why I was so insistent; to him, both routes lead to the same house. What he didn’t understand was that it had become a routine for me; this was my “claim to sameness”.

After I alighted from the motorcycle, it occurred to me that the kids I work with also crave the same need for routine. The only difference was that I could communicate my own need but they couldn’t.

It is undeniable that individuals with autism are different; their behaviour, social skills, and communication skills exemplify their peculiarity. However, does this peculiarity make them lesser humans?

 

                                              

 

Individuals with autism have similar needs as people without autism but the challenges of the disorder have served as limitations to having these needs met. Children on the autism spectrum have similar desires for routine like I do. Like every other individual, children with autism seeking love, acceptance, and a right to be themselves. They want people to look beyond their disorder and see them as individuals. They desire people who will be patient with them as they learn to manage the limitations and challenges they are faced with and they want to love and be loved in return.

Will you at least try?"

 

*The online autism campaign was organized by The Autism Support Circle Initiative (TASCI), and supported by www.mymindsnaps.com. They had three articles talking about social acceptance for individuals living with autism. Follow @theautism_sci on twitter for more on autism awareness. And please visit mymindsnaps.com. I am you will be glad you did.