Dazzling Centre for Autism in collaboration with Oasis Specialist Hospital has today created awareness in Kisii County in a bid to make the public understand autism, reduce stigmatization and embrace autistic children in the region.
Speaking to the press in Kisii town, Oasis Healthcare psychologist Melissa Shilisia, stated that understanding the challenges that come with autistic children will make things easier for society to accept them and raise healthy children whether autistic or not.
“Autism spectrum is a disorder that happens to children and it is easily diagnosed at a young age. Understandably, autism becomes a difficult thing to come to terms with mostly for the families and even for their children as they are growing up,” added Shilisia.
Shilisia noted that learning becomes difficult for autistic children adding that emotional expression is challenging making it hard for them to relate to other people and to even understand themselves as they grow up.
She said that they will support the families and hold their hands as they celebrate autism day adding that autism is a disorder that people can live with and can take advantage of because autistic children are abled differently.
“The theme for this year is; Supporting Education for All, and we understand that learning can be very challenging for autistic children. We have modified learning for them to be in a special way that they can easily understand,” she noted.
Director of Dazzling Centre for Autism, Ruth Kibwage urged communities to embrace autistic children saying they have a lot of potential and can be people who will be looked up to in society.
“Let us not hide these children. Let us give them space in our communities because they also fit in the society,” added Kibwage.
By Augustine Mosioma
