With thanks to Global Health Now and NPR.
Full text: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2024/02/26/1232791446/raising-...
In Kenya, parents of children with autism often struggle to find reliable information and affordable therapy support; they also cope with misconceptions and stigma, e.g., that “autism is caused by witchcraft”
As a result, many children miss out on early autism diagnosis — and crucial early interventions.
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"Preachers and traditional healers [in Kenya often] believe that autism is caused by witchcraft," says Dr. Lillian Kerubo of Kiambu County Hospital, a pediatrician and behavioral therapist who has for years worked with children who have autism. These preachers and healers tell parents that therapeutic intervention is not needed. Instead they might offer an herbal concoction with a promise that it will help the child or they'll advise the parents to pray and fast.
Other misbeliefs and myths circulate: Some families believe that if a mother eats eggs during pregnancy that can bring on autism, and that boys typically miss developmental milestones so there shouldn't be a need to consult a physician in such cases.
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HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org
