The wife of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has reiterated the need to adopt alternative communication methods that cater to the needs of different children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Ms. Sanwo-Olu, a physician, suggested adding local content, including images and sounds, as part of communication strategies based on the unique strengths and challenges of children with special needs.
She stressed the need to educate communities about alternative communication methods and advised “parents to be patient and control their emotions when they have children with special needs and to avoid hitting them when they expect certain behaviors.”
Mrs. Sanwo-Olu made the remarks on Monday while speaking as a special guest at the 14th Annual Autism Conference organised by Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) in Lagos.
The two-day conference, themed “A Spectrum of Possibilities,” was attended by behavioral analysts, speech therapists, early childhood education experts, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, parents, and others.
Mrs. Sanwo-Olu commended GTCO for the initiative and encouraged continued investment and engagement to support children with special needs.
Background informs behavior
In his presentation, Lanre Duyile, Executive Director of Behaviorprise College of Business and Health Studies, Toronto, Canada, highlighted strategies for using antecedent manipulation to improve the learning and behavior of children with special needs.
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According to Mr. Duyile, an antecedent involves any event, change, situation or circumstance that is present immediately before the target behavior.
Lanre Duyile during his presentation
Mr. Duyile explained that antecedent control procedures involve manipulating or changing some aspect of the physical or social environment to evoke a desired response or make an undesirable behavior less likely.
She said some of the antecedent strategies for manipulating or changing behavior include using social stories and videos, teaching functional communication, reducing boredom, and identifying and managing precursor behaviors.
“Behavior doesn’t just happen, it happens for specific reasons. You need to present the right antecedent for the right behavior to happen. If you want to change a behavior, plan ahead – present the right antecedent to get the desired behavior,” he said.
Communication needs
Experienced speech and language therapist Eniola Lahanmi stressed in her presentation the importance of early diagnosis and intervention to support the communication development of children with autism.
Ms Lahanmi noted that research has shown that early intervention can lead to significant improvements in language and social skills.
“Incorporate the child’s interests and preferences to motivate and engage him or her in communication activities,” she said. “Focus on the child’s strengths to build trust and facilitate communication.”
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Clinical psychologist and behavioral analyst Benedict Sama also noted that children with ASD are prone to agoraphobia, a type of anxiety disorder.
The GTCO team and some of the facilitators
Mr. Sama noted that some of the sources of anxiety disorders in children with ASD include separation from caregivers, germs, insects, dogs, medical procedures, perfectionism, habitual objects, and tragedy, among others.
GTCO call on autism
The GTCO Autism Program is a flagship project of the Orange Ribbon Initiative, a Guaranty Trust Bank Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative focused on advocacy programs to support children with developmental disabilities.
This year’s event will also feature free individual consultations scheduled between July 16-20 at the Chapel of Light, Alausa Ikeja.
“From the very beginning of the Orange Ribbon Initiative, we knew that this was going to be a lifelong commitment for us, and I must commend the efforts of the experts in this field and our partner organizations who have continued to support this initiative, making it possible for thousands of people with autism to experience a better quality of life,” said GTCO Group Chief Executive Officer Segun Agbaje in his welcome speech.
According to Agbaje, CEO of GTCO Group
“It is this collective support that has inspired our theme this year, “A Spectrum of Possibilities,” which recognizes and celebrates diversity among individuals.”
Mr Agbaje said the importance of raising awareness about autism is that it also “challenges us to innovate and create solutions that improve the quality of life in a way that is relevant to Nigerian society.”
GTCO members and some of the panelists
“In recent years, the world has witnessed significant progress in the understanding and treatment of ASD, with advances in scientific research, advancements in therapeutic approaches and a growing recognition of the importance of early intervention,” he said.