ByChioma OBINNA
In response to the need for services of speech therapists and language facilitators, a team of speech therapists from ElkanUK in collaboration with Autism Associates & CADD Nigeria, is organising a training course for speech and language assistants, specialist teacher therapists, teaching assistants and school facilitators.

The training, tagged “Communication Support for Children with Complex Needs” is aimed at improving services of speech therapists which experts say are in extremely short supply.

National Coordinator, Autism Associations & CADD Nigeria, Mr Okey- Martins Nwokolo said the training which would be to train at least 50 certified communication support assistants would specifically take care of majority of Nigerian children and adults with disabilities, special education needs and autism in particular.

He said currently, no Nigerian University is offering speech therapy as a course on its own. The training which commences in March, 2011 at the Muson Centre Onikan covers children and young people with speech and  communicate defects. It covers pre-intentional communication through to first words and those working with them to facilitate their communication.

The course would give the basic understanding of speech and language development and communication difficulties, teach staff strategies for differentiating class activities enabling children to access the curriculum more effectively amongst others. Nwokolo said not less than 360,000 Nigerian children are having speech difficulties. “Autism for instance is a complex neurological disorder that often manifests prior to age 3 and has no known cure or cause.

It occurs more in boys than in girls at a ratio of 1.4 and its prevalence has risen from 1:10,000 in 1943 to 1:100. Persons living with autism suffer many challenges  communicating and relating with peers. Almost all persons with autism will at one point or the other require the services of speech therapists.”