The cost of caring for children with autism in Nigeria is placing a heavy financial burden on families, with an autism advocate, Mildred Abbey, calling on government to subsidise specialised care and intensify public awareness, particularly in rural communities.
Abbey, an autism advocate and autism parent-partner advocate, made the call while speaking on Kristina TV’s “Gist Corner”, where she discussed available support for children and adults living with autism and the challenges confronting their families.
She stressed that help is available for people with autism, but said access to appropriate support remains a major challenge because many families lack adequate information about where to seek assistance and what type of intervention their children require.
According to her, autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that individuals can experience it differently.
She noted that some children may be verbal while others may be non-verbal, while additional conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also occur.
Abbey therefore advised parents not to rely solely on assumptions when seeking interventions for their children, stressing the importance of proper medical assessment.
“Have you gone to the hospital? Have you seen a neuropsychiatrist? Have they assessed the child? Do you have an assessment with you?” she asked, explaining that the child’s medical and developmental status should guide the type of support provided.
She identified speech therapy and behavioural therapy, among other interventions, as forms of support that may be recommended depending on the individual needs and assessment of a child.
However, Abbey expressed concern about the cost of accessing such specialised services, saying the financial burden could put them beyond the reach of many Nigerian families.
She said some therapy services could cost families as much as N150,000, raising concerns about how parents with limited incomes could consistently afford the care required by children on the autism spectrum.
“If you want to get the services of a speech therapist or a behavioural therapist, the least you can get is N150,000,” she said, arguing that government intervention was necessary to reduce the financial pressure on affected families.
Government Intervention
Abbey called for government-sponsored programmes, including scholarships and financial assistance, to enable children with autism to access necessary interventions.
She also urged government to expand autism awareness campaigns beyond major cities to rural communities, where she said many people may have little or no understanding of autism and other developmental conditions.
“As much as you and I have heard about autism, there are some villages, some towns, even cities who haven’t heard about autism, what autism is,” she said.
She maintained that greater public education would help communities better understand autism, reduce misconceptions and encourage families to seek appropriate support.
‘Educate Society on How to Respond’
The advocate also addressed the issue of stigma, particularly the way society relates to children with autism and their parents.
She argued that public conversations about autism often focus on teaching parents how to cope with societal attitudes, rather than educating society itself on how to interact appropriately with families affected by autism.
“We always pray parents on how to respond to society, but we do not educate the society on how to respond to families with these children,” she said.
Abbey, who is also a parent of a child with autism, urged parents not to allow negative societal reactions to discourage them from advocating for their children.
She described parents as the first advocates for their children, encouraging them to speak up and educate people who may not understand autism rather than withdrawing from society.
“I am my daughter’s advocate before I am any other autistic child’s advocate,” she said.
She also appealed to members of the public to demonstrate empathy towards families raising children with special needs, urging people to seek understanding rather than judge or stigmatise them.
According to her, empathy requires people to make an effort to understand the experiences and challenges faced by others.
Abbey’s comments highlight the wider challenges facing families of children with autism, including limited awareness, the high cost of specialised interventions and societal stigma.
She called for a coordinated response involving government, non-governmental organisations, traditional institutions, communities and families to improve awareness and access to support services.
She maintained that children with autism and other special needs deserve opportunities to develop their abilities and participate meaningfully in society, while their families require stronger institutional and community support to provide the care they need.
