ISSN: 2578-5001
Authors: Eta VEA*, Shey P, Nsagha S and Ihenacho IJ
Children with autism are more likely to suffer from mental health disorders compared to their typically developing peers. Autism is the most diagnosed among the autism spectrum disorders and related disorders. Thus, many educators now are faced with the demands to teach children with autism in their classes. It is imperative that teachers be able to recognize the symptom presentations of children with autism and be aware of a comprehensive and systematic method of identifying them in their classrooms. The aim of this study was to bring out a reliable and systematic method of identifying children with autism in a regular classroom setting. To attain this, different strategies such as review of school records, discussions with teachers and the administration of an anecdotal case history check list to parents of these children were employed to identify those with autism in nursery schools in Buea. The data was collected using questionnaires and was analyzed using simple percentages and arithmetic mean. Results of the study revealed that 15 children out of 288 in the age range 3-5 years had autism; there were more males than females. Identifying learners with autism in a regular classroom may enhance inclusion and go a long way to prevent mental disorders.
Keywords: Autism; Identification; Inclusion; Accommodation; Modification; Resource Limited Settings; Mental Stress
