{"id":1413,"date":"2026-07-04T05:08:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T05:08:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=1413"},"modified":"2026-07-04T05:08:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T05:08:06","slug":"autism-remains-widely-misunderstood-in-parts-of-africa-a-mother-in-guinea-fights-for-her-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=1413","title":{"rendered":"Autism remains widely misunderstood in parts of Africa. A mother in Guinea fights for her child"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FRIA, Guinea (AP) \u2014 Kazaliou Balde\u2019s parents started worrying about him when as a small child he avoided eye contact and had difficulty communicating.<\/p>\n

Read more Iran begins dayslong funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in war<\/a><\/p>\n

First, the family in the West African nation of Guinea turned to a traditional healer who suggested protective amulets. Then, as the boy dragged himself along the ground instead of walking, they took him to a hospital in the capital, Conakry, where he was diagnosed with autism \u2014 something the family had never heard of before.<\/p>\n

Neither had their neighbors. Some of them made rude comments about the child.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome suggested that I take him to the bush and throw him away,\u201d said his mother, Kadiatou Diallo, a 55-year-old trader.<\/p>\n

Misconceptions are common around children with autism in parts of Africa that lack reliable data, awareness and government support. Some mistakenly attribute autism to evil spirits. Experts say the misconceptions have often delayed diagnosis and brought stigma for children and their families.<\/p>\n

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Autism is a complex developmental condition now known as autism spectrum disorder that affects people in different ways. It can include delays in language, learning or social and emotional skills. For some people, profound autism means being nonverbal and having intellectual disabilities, but the majority of people experience milder effects.<\/p>\n

Guinea\u2019s government does not keep records around autism. The World Health Organization says about one in 127 people worldwide had autism in 2021, but it notes that the prevalence in many low- and middle-income countries remains unknown.<\/p>\n

Diallo decided to stand up for her son and seek better care. She said she has four children but loves him especially \u201cbecause I\u2019ve suffered so much with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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There is little support for autism in Guinea<\/h2>\n

In Guinea, a nation of about 15 million people, only a few schools cater to children with autism and they can cost up to $300 per month. Not many families can afford it in a country where the minimum wage is 550,000 Guinea francs ($63) a month, and where 43.7% of citizens live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Guinea, the care for autism is very poor,\u201d said Dr. Alhassane Cherif, a psychologist and clinician in Conakry. \u201cPrivate organizations and nonprofits are the only ones addressing this disorder and training staff to try to identify children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balde first attended both private and public schools, but none fit him. His teachers did not introduce him to writing and reading, his mother said, recalling their comments that her son \u201chas no provision for school.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI refused to consider these negative judgments. I refused to take him out of school,\u201d Diallo said.<\/p>\n

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