Autistic Society appeals for help

President Teresina Sieunarine, at yesterday’s launch of Autism Awareness Month at D’Abadie, said “Government has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and must now pass legislation to ensure that the rights of people on the autism spectrum are protected.” Reema Carmona, wife of President Anthony Carmona, delivered the main address at the event which was observed under the theme Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination.

Sieunarine said, “There is a lack of affordable services, educational opportunity and access to qualified therapists.” Funding and other support, she said, is required to maintain ASTT’s Therapeutic and Life Skills Centre in Point Fortin and Autism Place in D’Abadie. Over 700 families are registered with the ASTT.

She said over the past two years, the society has been receiving assistance from the Ministry of Health.

Corporate sponsors, she said, include Republic Bank’s Power to Make a Difference and United Way.

Sieunarine told Newsday that the ASTT does a lot of training for parents to care for their autistic children who require between 20 to 40 hours of therapy a week.

“That is like mission impossible.

We are lacking in affordable and therapeutic care.” The United Nations estimates that about one per cent of children and young people are affected by autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).

The Mayo Clinic defines ASD as “a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child’s ability to communicate and interact with others. It also includes restricted repetitive behaviours, interests and activities.

These issues cause significant impairment in social, occupational and other areas of functioning.” Expressing hope that during April, the media will continue to feature people with disabilities, especially people with autism and their families, she said her family was criticised in 1989 for featuring her son Kester, now 35 years old, in a newspaper article, but the family was not fazed and she appealed to other families to be proud of their children’s achievements.