One in 68 children is affected by the Autism spectrum disorder in Kenya according to a consortium of rights groups.
Badili Africa, Usikimye and Oxfam Kenya said it is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders among children.
Although people are becoming more aware of autism, they said, there is still a lot of misinformation about the disorder.
They said that Autism Spectrum Disorder is a diverse group of conditions characterised by a degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain
Research has shown that Autism Spectrum Disorder has no single known cause, but genetics are part of the outcome.
ASD begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time. Some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life.
In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. In addition some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.
Signs and symptoms may include early infancy include reduced eye contact, lack of response to their name or indifference to their caregivers.
Some children with autism have difficulty learning, and some have signs of lower-than-normal intelligence.
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