Parents Slam Snails Pace Govt On Autism Education

Despite raising autism awareness, stigma and discrimination remain significant challenges for individuals with autism. Parents of children with autism have criticised the government for moving at a snails pace to recognise and educate society.

This was revealed at an autism awareness campaign led by the Family of Neuro-developmental Disorders Foundation in partnership with Autism South Africa and the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital in North West. This as April marks World Autism Month .

According to parents, many children with autism face rejection in their communities because of a lack of knowledge about the condition.

Parents of children living with autism attended the event and shared their experiences, highlighting the emotional, social, and financial challenges they face daily, caused by a neurodevelopmental condition.

He started walking late. He started walking when he was one year and seven months, and at that time, I thought that it was just delay in reaching certain milestones. But when he got to grade 1, thats when he was diagnosed with autism. The diagnosis came about when the teacher started isolating him because he was not performing like other kids. It was not easy. It was very difficult because I didnt have enough information. I didnt know where to turn to and whom to approach when faced with challenges a parent comments.