Two mothers are claiming that their autistic sons were treated unfairly – one during orientation and the other three days after school reopened on September 2nd.
One mother claimed that her son was expelled. Another, Crystal Alcindor, took to Facebook to complain about the treatment her son had received after visiting two local schools.
In a meeting held this week by Helen’s Association for Persons with Autism, the mother who claims that her child was expelled, said that on Monday, September 2nd, “school started and like most children, it was my son’s first day of school. By midday on Wednesday, September 4th, I got a call from the administrator who was requesting a sit-down meeting with me to determine the way forward because some of the behaviours that my son was presenting were not anticipated.”
“I could choose to sugarcoat it but the fact is my son was expelled from preschool after three days and it is not an isolated incident,” the mother said.
In her Facebook post, Alcindor expressed her frustration unreservedly, claiming that she’d registered her son for kindergarten at a particular school and “the principal told his guardian that she has changed her mind and will not grant my son access to her school (because) she cannot deal with another autistic child.”
Alcindor, who shared her post on August 31st, said she opted to go to another school, and the school accepted her son, however, “everything changed on Thursday 29th August 2024” –Orientation Day.
After searching for her son’s name on a list and discovering that her son’s name was nowhere to be found, Alcindor claimed that she was later informed that there would be a change.
She said she sat with the principal who said “that my son requires an aide to stay with him” during school hours.
The young mother said she did not appreciate the arrangement as she was informed at “the last minute” and did not hide her son’s disorder and in fact, is “a big advocate for kids like him.”
“They knew he had it (and) waited until I got everything to tell me that’s the only way he can be (settled) into a class.”
Alcindor did not mention the name of the schools.
The number of children with autism in Saint Lucia has grown over the years. Dr. Kim Gardner-Sadoo, Director of the Child Development and Guidance Centre (CDGC), noted this much in a report.
“Today we have 170 children age five and under with autism currently accessing services at the Centre. In terms of total numbers in the last five years, we have given a diagnosis to 320 children and for the five-year period prior to that,” 60 children had been diagnosed, she said.
Children with autism (also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder – ASD) are often misunderstood by those around them and the mere concept is hard for some to grasp.
Alcindor, in her Facebook post, admitted that (in some instances) even parents aren’t “educated enough”.
Heini Natri, Research Assistant Professor at the US-based Translational Genomics Research Institute, also noted that autistic people are often misunderstood, misinterpreted, misrepresented, and mistreated.
“A number of recent empirical studies have examined how neurotypicals perceive and judge autistics, shedding light on the social barriers faced by autistics in a world built for neurotypicals: Allistic peers are less likely to interact with autistic people because of immediate and unconscious negative judgments that are based purely on social communication style, and not substance,” Natri stated in a 2021 article, also noting that autistic people “are also often perceived by neurotypicals as deceptive or lacking credibility.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) also pointed out that Autism Spectrum Disorders are a diverse group of conditions and are characterized “by some degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication.”
At the meeting held by Helen’s Association, a mother of a five-year-old also spoke on the challenges she has encountered as a parent with an autistic child.
According to her, “From the time my daughter has been at school, I have had to sit with teachers and administrators and explain what autism… and I have had to fight that battle at every school… it is something that we face judgment for,” she noted.
A Special Education Teacher at the Anglican Infant School in Castries said “From a teacher’s point of view we’d like trained aides; we’d also like training for our teachers.”
“At every school we’d like a safe space that is equipped especially for when children have sensory processing disorders or a safe space… that can soothe them when they’re having meltdowns or tantrums,” she said.
So how can one detect if their child or loved one is on the Autism spectrum?
There’s a lot to dissect, but in a nutshell the Autism Research Institute (ARI) says, one should look out for the following signs:
- Delayed speech or difficulty communicating
- Poor eye contact
- Little or no imaginative play
- No joint attention – not looking in the same direction as others
- Showing limited interest in other people
- Highly emotional responses to changes in routine
But bear in mind that every person diagnosed with autism is different, ARI says.
In Saint Lucia, one can visit a qualified health practitioner and can also find more information via Helen’s Association for Persons with Autism, the Autism Resource Center and the Child Guidance Development Centre amongst others.