DR RADICA MAHASE

Adjusting to the pandemic can be very challenging for children. For most children on the autism spectrum, it was difficult to adjust to changes in routine and for those who were attending schools, the online learning environment did not cater to their learning styles. Lack of access to various therapies also led to regression in many children.

I want to end 2021 by highlighting some special children who have thrived despite the challenges and restrictions. They were recent recipients of the Autism Superhero Award 2021, Personal Achievement category.

First, there is Zion Semper, an avid gardener.

Zion is a 16-year-old from Santa Flora who has not gone to school for some years now. He doesn’t like getting his hands dirty. He loved going to the beach and going for drives, and he loves to watch YouTube videos on his tablet.

Up to two years ago Zion was not really doing much – he would play with paper, build puzzles once in a while and that’s about it.

However, since last year, Zion has developed interests in so many things and has grown into a responsible young man. He loves to cook, wash wares and clean the house. Every day he helps his mother in the kitchen and around the house. He is a very organised person and he makes sure that everything is in place.

Since the pandemic started, Zion has become an avid gardener – he plants tomatoes, sweet peppers and cabbage in his home garden. He beautifies his garden by painting stones and putting them in patterns. He has become his mother’s biggest helper at home and has learnt to take care of his brother Nigel, who sometimes has seizures.

Zion was very happy and proud to get an award for Personal Achievement and was full of smiles, something that he doesn’t do often.

Secondly, there is Al-Hassan Khan, an intelligent 14-year-old form three student at Point Fortin East Secondary School.

He has grown from a child who could not understand the world around, a child who struggled to cope in school and to keep up with academic work, into a teenager who embraces any challenges today.

Al-Hassan was told he would fail the SEA exam and was insulted many times because he could not answer correctly. He worked hard to pass his exam and today he embraces his secondary school life.

Al-Hassan was part of the Spanish class choir, he loves music, he is performing well academically and he has grown into an independent, charming young man who is determined to take care of himself and to excel in every way possible.

Al-Hassan’s mother said he was elated when he received the award for Personal Achievement. In fact, he couldn’t believe he had got an award, and now he’s even more determined to keep working to accomplish his goals.

Thirdly, there is Jivan Chaitoo, a seven-year-old standard one student at Cunjal Government Primary School.

[caption id="attachment_931643" align="alignnone" width="523"] Jivan Chiatoo, an amazing multi-talented seven-year-old boy received an Au