Voices Magazine-Vol4-Issue

19 January – April 2021 | VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica Cynthia Shako ECE and Day Care Centre Hosts Informative Autism Awareness Seminar I n recognition of International Autism Awareness Month, the Cynthia Shako Early Childhood Education and Day Care Centre, a unit of the College of Health Sciences, on Wednesday, April 14, hosted an enlightening and informative online session on Autism Spectrum Disorder. The session, presented in collaboration with McCam Child Care and Development Centre, was themed Understanding Autism: Awareness, Early Signs and Life After Diagnosis, and featured presentations from Mrs. Karyl Powell-Booth, Lecturer, College of Health Sciences, UTech, Jamaica and Mrs. Kellie-Ann Brown Campbell, Associate School Psychologist, McCam Child Care and Development Centre. Mrs. Melisa Porter, Supervisor, Cynthia Shako ECE and Day Care Centre, in her capacity as moderator, noted that the session was convened to shine a spotlight on autism; providing valuable information to parents and caregivers on recognizing the signs of the disorder, as well as tools and intervention resources following diagnosis. Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder The informative session provided further insight on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), indicating that it is an umbrella term for Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett’s Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. A study done in 2016 among 8 year olds in the United States showed that 1 in 54 identified has having ASD, which is in sharp contrast to previous numbers which identified 1 child in 1000 on the spectrum. “We’re not sure if Autism Spectrum Disorders are actually increasing, or getting more common, or whether it is that children are being identified more because of an increased awareness,” Mrs. Powell-Booth pointed out. Screening and Diagnosis Mrs. Kellie-Ann Brown Campbell, in discussing life after ASD diagnosis, noted that parents and caregivers are usually most involved in identifying early signs and symptoms of the disorder in children. She indicated that parents go through several steps leading to a diagnosis, including noting that something is different about their children’s development, questioning what this difference in development could mean, seeking additional information, depending on their level of awareness of autism, and seeking professional intervention for their children. The Psychologist also described the emotional upheaval that parents experience once presented with the possibility of autism spectrum disorder in their children, noting that they are sometimes in denial, or choose to accept the prognosis, while grieving the expected future of their child, and recasting their hopes or expectations. “Parents may move in between these stages in no firm or clear order as they explore concerns,” she indicated. Ms. Melisa Porter (left), Supervisor, and Ms. Michelle Silvera, Assistant Supervisor, Cynthia Shako Early Childhood Education and Day Care Centre welcome participants to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Awareness Seminar on April 14, 2021 via Zoom. Mrs. Karyl Powell-Booth, Lecturer, College of Health Sciences Mrs. Kellie-Ann Brown Campbell, Associate School Psychologist, McCam Child Care and Development Centre