Frequently Asked Questions

About Autism.

For parents, whose child just got diagnosed with autism, it might be hard to deal

with the overwhelming feeling the questions in their minds bring. Or the diagnosis

can be an explanation to some adults who have been dealing with something they

did not know. Either way, with this information come a lot of questions. The best way

to understand what this diagnosis is to educate yourself. Here are answers to some

frequently asked questions.

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Table of Contents

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On Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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•  What is Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD)?

• What are causes of Autism?

• What are the indicators that a child may be having ASD?

• Are there different forms of Autism?

• Do all children with ASD behave the same way?

• Can ASD be cured or treated?

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FAQs from parents-friends

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• Can a child with ASD attend regular schools or only special schools?

• Do children with ASD understand what is said to them?

• Isnt it too hard to have a child with ASD?

• How much money do you spend for your child's therapy?

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FAQs about nione

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• Why don't you tackle other conditions and why is your focus mainly on ASD

• What are your criteria on selecting churches to partner with?

• How much does Nione charge for a training and awarness session

• What is the added value of nione

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General Questions.

Below, you can find the answers for the general questions about Autism and the Nione Initiative.

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1. What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also called autism, is a condition that affects and generally
limits social interaction, communication and behaviours of a child which may be repetitive or
very restricted. Whatever their general level of intelligence or ability, children living with autism
share a common difficulty in making sense of the world in the way others do, which brings
difference in the way they learn how to do things.

2. What are the causes of autism?
Currently the exact cause(s) of autism are not clear but many researches are proposing
possibility of autism being both genetically predisposed and environmentally triggered. If the
genes are there from conception, some environmental conditions can enable them at some
moment between the pregnancy period and the first few years of life (before the age of three).
Autism affects the area of brain development that processes language and information received
from the senses. Despite gaps in knowledge about causes, there is evidence that autism isn’t
caused by social factors, and particularly actions or behaviour of the parents while raising their
child.

3. What are indicators that a child may be having ASD?
Although a full diagnostic assessment is a valid way of ascertaining if a child has ASD, one can
detect red flags in the area of communication, social interaction and child’s behaviours. One or
more of the following symptoms are typical for autism:

- Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months
- Does not use verbal language by age 2
- Does not make eye contact
- Does not greet people by waving or saying “hi”
- Does not play appropriately with toys
- Does not play or engage with peers
- Makes repetitive movements with his/her body, such as rocking or spinning
- Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age

4. Are there different forms of Autism?
The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the overall expression covering the huge variety of
forms of autism. Three main forms of autism are distinguished within ASD: Asperger’s
Syndrome, Rett Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise
specified (PDD-NOS).

5. Do all children with ASD behave the same way?
All people (children and adults) with autism are affected differently and to a varying extent, but
there are common characteristics among all of them. These include:

- Problems in communication presented as difficulties in use of language; either
expressing or understanding which are necessary to engage in meaningful
communication. He/she may have had language and then lost it or has never developed
it. They may find it a challenge to recognise and interpret both verbal and nonverbal
messages.
- Social interaction challenges marked by difficulties in developing relationships and
understanding the feelings of others, which makes children with autism seem indifferent
to other family members, parents and their peers.
- Differences in cognitive processes. As children, they may develop play and imagination
aspects differently or they may not be able to understand play and imagination.
- Behaviourally, children with autism may be obsessed with particular objects or actions,
keep certain routines and get very disturbed by changes in set up. Due to these routines,
most of them may display talent in a specific skill, e.g. in art, music and movements,
mathematics or mechanics etc.
- Differences in sensory stimulation where they can either be oversensitive or under
sensitive to such stimulation, e.g. some may react to noise by blocking their ears, or
covering their eyes to bright lights amongst others.

6. Can ASD be cured or treated?
There is currently no known cure. There are many evidence-based interventions, therapies and
learning programs that prove a better management of the condition following early diagnosis.
With appropriate learning and support services, children with ASD can be helped to live their
lives with dignity and independence. In most cases, early intervention creates stimulation for the
child that enables him/her to improve in interactions, communication and behavioural deficits.
Therapies include Occupational and Physical Therapy, Speech and Language, Applied
Behaviour Analysis (ABA), play, movement or music, art-based interventions among others. It is
estimated that early intervention can decrease the care needs for persons living with ASD by
two thirds.

FAQs from parents/friends.

1. Can a child with ASD attend regular schools or only special schools?
Every child has the right to appropriate education despite their life conditions (According
to the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1990). Children with ASD can attend both
regular and special schools based on their individual needs. It’s globally advocated that
all children be included in mainstream schools or placed in special learning programs for
appropriate education, supported either fully or partially by the government following
eligibility criterions established by state regulations. Special schools or programs serve
to bridge individual gaps of the child (from needs assessments) for appropriate
mainstreaming. Be aware of your child’s learning needs and legal rights on the topic.

2. Do children with ASD understand what is said to them?
The child may not be able to understand your nonverbal communications, may be
unable to react to social gestures such as smiles or frowns, or might take things literally
and fail to make meaning out of language. For example, if you say, "Step on it," don't be
surprised if he or she fails to act because they are not getting your meaning. You need

to be careful to say exactly what you mean and use other means to help express your
intentions. If you keep the conversations focused, broken down into simple commands
and aided by more sensory cues, most times your child will understand what you’re
saying. This can improve greatly with early intervention.

 

3. Isn’t it too hard to have a child with ASD?
The child is not the ‘problem’, the challenges in operations that come along with the
condition are the challenge. Autism as a condition turns one’s life in a lot of unexpected
ways and one has no choice but to adapt, to educate self about the condition’s dynamic
demands and be strong for the sake of the child (parent).

4. How much money do you spend for your child’s therapy?
“Only a parent of a child with special needs can ever understand the struggles,
and the financial commitment, of raising and recovering an autistic child,” says
Mercier, a business owner from Winnipeg, Canada. A study, in the medical journal
JAMA Pediatrics has pegged the total lifetime cost of supporting an individual with
ASD at an astonishing $1.4 million in the United States. If there is also intellectual
disability, the total rises even more, to $2.4 million.

FAQs about Nione.

1. Why don’t you tackle other conditions and why is your focus mainly on ASD?
We focus on ASD/autism, because, that’s the journey the founders have embarked on
as a family. Nione also intentionally chose to concentrate on autism because there is still
stigma surrounding autism and it is usually followed by a lot of misconception or
misinformation. There is still a lot that needs to be done in terms of creating awareness
and getting the information out, on what autism is, to all sectors! The more actors we
are, the better! However, the awareness our initiative creates on autism highlights
principles that could apply to other conditions!

2. What are your criteria on selecting churches to partner with?
Our first criterion is churches that fully embrace NIONE’s vision and who have a heart for
serving people who don’t have a voice. The second is a church that is grounded in Christ
and holds a structured Sunday school. We understand that all churches cannot afford to
have a Sunday school, especially those in less fortunate neighborhoods, but we can still
have these churches take part in our information and training sessions. They could then
in turn identify and accompany a child and family with ASD.
We are open and willing to assist other faith or educational communities in terms of
awareness and training on ASD.

3. How much does Nione charge for a training and awareness session?
We do not charge a fee for our trainings! Do we need money to function and expand our
initiative? Absolutely! We count on families, churches, donors, corporate entities, etc.
who value and adhere to our initiative to support us either financially or by any other
means.

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4. What is the added value of Nione?
We are an initiative that specifically advocates for the training of people involved in the
Sunday school program in order to help include children and families affected by ASD.
Our approach takes into account not only the children’s physical but also their spiritual
needs.

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