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Breaking The Silence: Understanding the Unique World of Autism
Children with autism
Children with autism “angels who lost their way to heaven and fell on earth.”
A child is a gift from God when they are born but when they are diagnosed with autism, they presumably become a burden or a curse from the woman’s family.
Autism is a neurological condition that affects social communication and behaviour. There is a wide range of autism spectrum disorders, and each individual is unique. Some people with autism may have difficulty with social interactions, repetitive behaviours and sensory sensitives. It is important to understand and respect the differences of those with autism.
Despite its prevalence, there is still a great deal of misinformation surrounding autism, leading to misconceptions and stigmatisation. One of the key aspects of autism is its wide-ranging spectrum. While the term ‘spectrum’ itself suggests a continuum of characteristics, the reality is that no two individuals with autism are alike.’
Nana Donkor Arthur, a social media influencer in United States of America and a mother of a child with special needs (Charlton), suggests that the best ways to communicate and interact with people who have autism spectrum disorder are by showing affection and showing respect.
“Parents should teach their special child about how to express anger without being too aggressive,” she continued. Once again, you should not use several languages in your homes because it could confuse a special youngster.
According to the World Health Organisation in 2021, one in 160 children globally had autism, compared with an estimated one in 59 children in the United States. There are no available statistics on children with autism in Ghana.
Akua Dedaa, the mother of a daughter with autism, claimed that in order to keep the child alive, she had to rebel against her husband. About autism, there are myths.
Since the majority of Ghanaians believe that autism is a curse from lesser gods, some parents take their children to shrines and ask the fetish priests to appease the gods on their behalf with mashed plantains(3to) before leaving them there.
Some people also believe that people with autism are “river gods’’. Some parents therefore leave their children on the riverbanks with the belief that they would transform into snakes and return to where they came from.
A few organisations in Ghana support kids with special needs; a few examples include the Dzorwulo Special School, the Autism Ambassadors of Ghana, and the Hope setters Ambassadors of Ghana.
By breaking the silence on autism, we pave the way for a more inclusive future, where diversity is celebrated, and every individual can live a fulfilling life. Let us work together to build a world that embraces the differences of all its members, fostering an atmosphere of empathy, understanding, and acceptance for those on the autism spectrum and beyond.
[The writer is a student of Ghana Institute of Journalism]
By Baidoo Theodora Boatemaa
One of the issues we have been grappling with as a nation is corruption, and it has had such a devastating effect on our national development. I have been convinced that until morality becomes the foundation upon which our governance system is built, we can never go forward as a nation.
Our traditional practices, which have shaped our cultural beliefs, have always espoused values that have kept us along the straight and the narrow and have preserved our societies since ancient times.
These are values that frown on negative habits like stealing, cheating, greediness, selfishness, etc. Our grandparents have told us stories of societies where stealing was regarded as so shameful that offenders, when caught, have on a number of instances committed suicide.
In fact, my mother told me of a story where a man who was living in the same village as her mother (my grandmother), after having been caught stealing a neighbour’s cockerel, out of shame committed suicide on a mango tree. Those were the days that shameful acts were an abomination.
Tegare worship, a traditional spiritual worship during which the spirit possesses the Tegare Priest and begins to reveal secrets, was one of the means by which the society upheld African values in the days of my grandmother and the early childhood days of my mother.
Those were the days when the fear of being killed by Tegare prevented people from engaging in anti-social vices. These days, people sleeping with other people’s wives are not uncommon.
These wrongful behaviour was not countenanced at all by Tegare. One was likely going to lose his life on days that Tegare operates, and so unhealthy habits like coveting your neighbour’s wife was a taboo.
Stealing of other people’s farm produce, for instance, could mean certain death or incapacitation of the whole or part of the body in the full glare of everybody. People realised that there were consequences for wrongdoing, and this went a long way to motivate the society to adhere to right values.
Imagine a President being sworn into office and whoever administers the oath says, “Please say this after me: I, Mr. …., do solemnly swear by God, the spirits of my ancestors and the spirits ruling in Ghana, that should I engage in corrupt acts, may I and my family become crippled, may madness become entrenched in my family, may incurable sicknesses and diseases be my portion and that of my family, both immediate and extended.”
Can you imagine a situation where a few weeks afterwards the President goes to engage in corrupt acts and we hear of his sudden demise or incapacitation and confessing that he engaged in corrupt acts before passing or before the incapacitation—and the effect it will have on his successor? I believe we have to critically examine this option to curb corruption.
My grandmother gave me an eyewitness account of one such encounter where a woman died instantly after the Tegare Priest had revealed a wrong attitude she had displayed during the performance on one of the days scheduled for Tegare spirit manifestation.
According to her story, the Priest, after he had been possessed by the spirit, declared that for what the woman had done, he would not forgive her and that he would kill. Instantly, according to my grandmother, the lady fell down suddenly and she died—just like what happened to Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts Chapter 5.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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Emotional distortions can indeed have a profound impact on an individual’s mental health and well-being. These distortions can lead to a range of negative consequences, including anxiety, depression, and impaired relationships.
Emotional surgery is a therapeutic approach that aims to address and heal emotional wounds, traumas, and blockages. This approach recognises that emotional pain can have a profound impact on an individual’s quality of life and seeks to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing.
How emotional surgery can help
Emotional surgery can help individuals:
Identify and challenge negative thought patterns: By becoming aware of emotional distortions, individuals can learn to challenge and reframe negative thoughts.
Develop greater emotional resilience: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop the skills and strategies needed to manage their emotions and respond to challenging situations.
Improve relationships: By addressing emotional wounds and promoting emotional well-being, individuals can develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
The benefits of emotional surgery
The benefits of emotional surgery can include:
Improved mental health outcomes: Emotional surgery can help individuals reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Enhanced relationships: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
Increased self-awareness: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotions.
A path towards healing
Emotional surgery offers a promising approach to addressing emotional distortions and promoting emotional well-being. By acknowledging the impact of emotional pain and seeking to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing, individuals can take the first step towards recovery and improved mental health.
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BY ROBERT EKOW GRIMMOND-THOMPSON
