AUTISM CONCERN

Dr. Janice Gibbs, Education Officer for Special Needs in Barbados, has highlighted that there is an increase in autism cases in Barbados, and generally across the world.

As such, the Ministry of Education has taken action to train teaching professionals in this area.

She was speaking to The Barbados Advocate yesterday at the workshop on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Behavioural Interventions, held at the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College, and facilitated by the Department of Education in New Brunswick, Canada.

Dr. Gibbs indicated, “It is a global phenomenon they are noticing right around the world that there are more students presenting with autism in the UK, USA and Canada than previous years – where it was one in 10 000 before, now it is one in 55 in certain territories Therefore, that is cause for alarm, intervention and action, thus the Barbados Government Ministry of Education has partnered with the Department of Education in New Brunswick to see if we can increase that human resource on the island that would be able to assist those students who are diagnosed or suspected to be on the spectrum.”

She added, “Overall awareness and sensitivity is very important for dealing with all persons with special needs. We need to sensitise persons in the employment area and government that even though a child may have a challenge, when he or she becomes an adult they and can join the employment market. There are still certain skills they can bring on board; it is not just the disability we are looking at, we are looking at the abilities of certain students – some are amazing artists, singers, skilled in computer technology etc.”

Kaye Sargeant, Senior Education Officer responsible for Student Support Services Unit at the Ministry of Education noted, “The workshop is with teachers, tutors from Erdiston Teachers college and officers from the Ministry of Education. We have been participating in an online course over the last few months with the Department of Education of New Brunswick in Canada…and this workshop is the face-to-face with facilitators that have come to Barbados…as a follow up to what has been going on over the last few months online.

“Over the past 15 years we have seen a steady increase in children, who have been referred to the student support services of the section of the Ministry, …that have been diagnosed with being autistic or children who are displaying characteristics of autistic like behaviour. Over the past year, of the total number of children referred we can say 21 per cent of those were children with autism.

“There are several indicators of autism, but essentially it is a social communication disorder so that is one of the first things that you think about when you see a child who may not be reaching their milestones when it comes to language and communication. We direct parents to The Albert Cecil Graham Development Centre for intervention and diagnosis.”

Isabelle Cowan, Learning Specialist, Autism & Complex Behaviour Education Services at New Brunswick Canada, the facilitator at the workshop, explained, “The workshop is being conducted with teachers who have completed the online course. We are pleased to be here to spend some time with them to go through the practical applications of the course.

“The statistics around autism are estimated at one in 68 children so there is certainly a number of children with autism in schools and it is important that teachers have the knowledge and skills to be prepared...”
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