Autism Conference: Sanwo-Olu’s wife suggests alternative communication methods for children with special needs

The wife of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has reiterated the need to adopt alternative communication methods that suit the needs of different children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Mrs 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.”

Mrs Sanwo-Olu gave the remarks on Monday in her address as a special guest at the 14th edition of the Annual Autism Conference organised by the Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) in Lagos.

The two-day conference themed: “A Spectrum of Possibilities,” featured behavioural analysts, speech pathologists, childhood education experts, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and parents, among others.

Mrs Sanwo-Olu commended GTCO for the initiative and encouraged continued investment and participation to support special needs children.

Antecedents informs behaviour

In his presentation, the CEO of Behaviorprise College of Business and Health Studies, Toronto, Canada, Lanre Duyile, highlighted strategies to use antecedent manipulation to improve the learning and behaviour of children with special needs.

According to Mr Duyile, an antecedent involves any event, change, situation, or circumstances that are present immediately before the target behaviour.

Mr Duyile explained that antecedent control procedures involve manipulating or changing some aspects of the physical or social environment to evoke a desired response or make undesirable behaviour less likely.

He said some of the antecedent strategies to manipulate or change behaviour include using social stories and videos, teaching functional communication, reducing boredom, and identifying and managing precursor behaviours.

“Behaviour doesn’t just happen, it happens for specific reasons. You need to present the right antecedent for the right behaviour to happen. If you want to change a behaviour, plan ahead: present the right antecedent to achieve the targeted behaviour,” he said.

Communication needs

A seasoned speech and language therapist, Eniola Lahanmi, in her presentation, underscored the importance of early diagnosis and intervention in supporting 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 them in communication activities,” she said “Focus on the child’s strengths to build confidence and facilitate communication.”

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Also, a clinical psychologist and behavioural analyst, Benedict Sama, highlighted that children with ASD are prone to agoraphobia: a type of anxiety disorder.

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, usual items, and tragedy, among others.

GTCO Autism convening

The GTCO Autism Programme is a flagship project under the Orange Ribbon Initiative, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by Guaranty Trust Bank focused on advocacy programmes to support children with developmental disabilities.

This year’s event will also feature free one-on-one consultations scheduled to take place between 16 and 20 July 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 organisations who have continued to support this initiative, making it possible for thousands of persons on the autism spectrum to experience improved quality of life,” said the Group Chief Executive Officer of GTCO, Segun Agbaje, in his welcome address.

“It is this collective support that has inspired our theme this year, “A Spectrum of Possibilities,” which acknowledges and celebrates diversity among individuals.”

Mr Agbaje said the importance of creating awareness for autism is that it also “challenges us to innovate and create solutions that improve quality of life in a way that is relatable to Nigerian society.”

“In recent years, the world has witnessed significant progress in understanding and treating ASD, with breakthroughs in scientific research, advancements in therapeutic approaches, and a growing recognition of the importance of early intervention,” he said.