While many people may consider autistic people as disabled, this is often not the case for many autistic children. Autism does not indicate deficits in comparison to people who are considered neurotypical. Instead, it means that a person may need varying levels of support and accommodation to thrive.
Autism represents a neurodevelopmental difference, which presents uniquely in each individual but is defined by various traits. Some autistic people require adaptations in routines and environments in order to function effectively.
This is why experts at Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) 2024 GTCO Autism Program explored the easy practical ways to help autistic children and even adults with their day to day living.
Themed, ‘A Spectrum of Possibilities’, this year’s program promoted inclusivity, self-advocacy, and empowerment for persons on the Autism Spectrum.
The theme aligned with GTCO’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and its goal of creating a society where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their background or abilities.
Speaking at the event, Lanre Duyile, professional Bmbehavior nalyst and Entrepreneur spoke on how to use antecedent manipulation to improve learning.
Duyile stressed that if people want to make a change, it is good to use right antecedents, present them and they would see the change they expect.
He said there is no behaviour that happens without antecedents, adding that people have to pay attention to the antecedents.
“Environmental events affect behaviours and this is why people with autism don’t like noise as it affects their behaviour. Antecedents are things that happen immediately before the behaviour. We need to know how to identify the right antecedents. Just saying something can evoke behaviours.
“When antecedents are presented multiple times, the person begins to understand what you are trying to do. We need to teach people with autism in languages they would understand,” he explained.
He said another thing that affects behaviour is establishing operations.
“You must make sure the individual is in a state of deprivation. If you stay without food for hours, you become hungry. You will be in a state of deprivation. If anyone presents food, food becomes an antecedent,” he said.
He noted that to evoke the right behaviours there is a need to decrease the response effort required, remove the antecedents or cues in place for undesirable behaviour and apply antecedents strategies.
Other measures he said include pairing, self-instruction, task analysis, prompts, modelling, chaining, using social stories, videos, setting rules and keeping them, teaching functional communication, reducing or eliminating boredom.
Eniola Lahanmi, a speech and language therapist who spoke on ‘Understanding Autism and Communication Needs,’ listed common communication characteristics of autistic children to include literal interpretation, non-verbal communication, uncommon prosody pitch and sensory processing.
She listed ways to build foundation for communication to include comprehensive assessment which include initial evaluation and setting personalized goals which must be specific, achievable, relevant and time bound; family involvement
She said caregivers of autistic children must tailor their strategies to child interest and strengths.
She hinted that there must be flexibility in methods applied which has to be adaptable.
Lahanmi said key communications strategies are the use of visual supports such as visual schedules, social stories and visual cues.
She said there should be use of augmented and alternative communication such as picture exchange communication and system and speech-generating devices.
She stressed on the use of simplified language, visual supports, gestures and sign language and consistent language.
In enhancing expressive language, she said there is a need to expand vocabulary, use of AAC devices, sentence strips and communication boards.
Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the wife of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, who was also present at the event m reiterated the need to adopt alternative communication methods that suit the needs of different children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Sanwo-Olu, a medical practitioner, suggested adding local content, including visuals and sounds as part of communication strategies based on the unique strengths and challenges of the children with special needs.
She emphasised the need to educate communities on alternative communication methods and advised “parents to be patient and manage their emotions for children with special needs and avoid beating them when they expect certain behaviours.”
