I always wondered about Autism in other parts of the parts of the world like in Africa. Child-witchcraft of autism symptoms? (Africa) By Admin Afriknews, 9 JULY 2010, KONYE OBAJI ORI Across Sub-Sahara Africa, children from underprivileged backgrounds who sometimes exhibit symptoms of Autism, are often labeled as witches or wizards, and victimized – poisoned, drowned, hacked to death with machetes or buried alive in an attempt to deliver their soul from the snare of the ‘devil’. Autism, according to the U.S. autism science and advocacy organization Autism Speaks, is a “complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others”. But in countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda, many churches organize fellowships and revival meetings to cast out the demons of witchcraft in children who exhibit such characteristics. While witch hunting is considered a thing of the past in the entire western world, the practice remains a reality in Africa. A lack of scientific analysis or understanding of certain anomalies in children has perpetuated the belief in such superstitions as child-witchcraft. The children, often accused of witchcraft or wizardry and victimized, exhibit uncommon physical, mental, social and behavioral characteristics which may include acting up with intense tantrums, showing aggression to others or themselves, stubborn, preferring solitary or ritualistic play, do not startle at loud noises, and often refer to themselves in third person. In some cases even children who exhibit signs of physical ailments like allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, feeding disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, etc, tend to find themselves doubly penalized by a society they helplessly depend upon for their existence. But these characteristics, medically considered as symptoms of autism, are traditionally seen as unusual by some rural communities across Africa. Usually, illiterate parents, guardians and sometimes neighbors readily accept witchcraft as an explanation for extraordinary events. An act that shapes the future of autistic and underprivileged African children. And responsibility, more often than not, may be leveled at the whimsical pronouncements of powerful religious leaders at extremist churches where Christianity and traditional beliefs have usually combined to produce an entrenched belief in witchcraft. The belief in witchcraft is predominant amongst the underprivileged rural class, and it holds that child-witches bring destruction, waste, hardship, disease and death to their families. Other identified symptoms that worsen the plight of the so-called child-witches are crying and screaming in the night, hallucinations which sometimes arise from a high fever or other illness involving a fever, and worsening health – symptoms that can be found among many children in an impoverished region with poor health care. eldritchmisc.wordpress/2011/07/24/child-witchcraft-of-autism-symptoms-africa/ "Children in Africa living with Autism may be thought to be possessed of evil spirits or bad omens." youtube/watch?v=sgyQEyj60bg Our experience is that autism in Cape Town and quite a huge portion of South Africa is still very misunderstood and mischaracterized – regardless of race or income. The level of awareness and need for early intervention is not at an acceptable level. We have come across a lot of perjorative statements made about our population such as “retard”, “dunce-head”, “uneducable”, “demon possessed” and so forth – and those have been words that have been directed at the parents of these children from teachers and professionals who work with our kids. autismaroundtheglobe.org/countries/South_Africa1.asp I am not surprised that autistics are viewed like that in Africa. I am very sure they were always viewed that way in ancient times. If autism has always been around, what was it called before autism? Metaphysical stuff
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 16:26:44 +0000
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