Attention was given to Autism Spectrum Disorder at CIU

The Special Education Club that is connected to the Cyprus International University (CIU) Department of Special Education Teaching and Student Development and Counseling Center, organized an event on "Autism Spectrum Disorder during the Covid-19 Process".

During the event that was organized online due to the corona virus measures, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıkmış provided information in relation to the skills, education, and parental attitudes that children with autism should have during the process in question.

Stating that it is easier to discuss the developmental differences of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as opposed to discussing the disorder, in terms of solving problems or gaining coping skills, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yıkmış went on to advise, "Because if it is a disorder, then the ‘let’s throw it aside’ mentality prevail within us”.

Stating that the important thing is to bring these children to a condition where they can adapt to daily life, Yıkmış continued, “Our main goal is to ensure the children’s independence when participating in social processes. For example, we need to pay attention to social distancing due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Then, it is important that during this process, we develop the paying attention to distance, wearing masks and cleaning skills within these children".

Stating that in addition to the school dimension in the education of children with autism, there is also a family dimension, Assoc. Prof. Yıkmış stated that children with special needs tend to derive from the lower sections of society and that their families should be well educated on this subject.

Stating that children with autism suffer from severe tantrums, Yıkmış went on to state, “In this case, it is important that an individual stronger than the child controls them. A service needs to come to their aid when these children are having a crisis. However, due to the pandemic process we have deficiencies in providing such support services”.

Indicating that every child has interests and talents, Yıkmış elaborated that children with autism should be progressed within the framework of their interests and abilities, and that the preparation of activities and materials in a way that they would like would prove beneficial in gaining their interest.

Referring to the importance of planning the day well, not just for children with autism, but for individuals also. Yıkmış continued: How long will we watch TV daily? Or how many books will we read? These need to have purpose. However, we do our work sometimes without a purpose. For example, we put the children in front of the TV so that they do not make a sound. This time should be used for educational purposes. For this reason, it is important for the mother and father to have device and software support.