Making TT an autism-friendly country

DR RADICA MAHASE

I WANT MY nephew Rahul to live in a country where those with autism and other special needs can have access to opportunities, where they can be themselves without the judgmental stares and unkind words of others and where they can be given the space to develop their full potential.

I believe that Trinidad and Tobago can become like that once we make a conscious effort to create an autism-friendly society.

That is, a society where the physical space is more comfortable and less distressful and one that accommodates an individual’s sensory needs and welcomes those who are different. It is an environment that does not stress out those with special needs, it doesn’t make their lives more difficult and it doesn’t traumatise them so that they do not want to go back into that space.

It may sound complicated and unattainable but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some suggestions that will help create an autism-friendly Trinidad and Tobago and make a big difference to those with autism and other special needs:

Making public spaces physically accessible: We can change the physical facilities to cater for those with special needs by building ramps for wheelchairs and elevators in government and other public buildings. Also, we can ensure that there are parking spaces for wheelchairs; that these are actually large enough to offload a wheelchair and that they are reserved for those with wheelchairs.

A few years ago when Rahul had surgery and he had to use a wheelchair we realised how difficult it was to find an empty parking spot for the differently-abled. Most of the time these were occupied by cars that did not have any wheelchair users. Therefore, it would help if people realise that there are consequences for parking in spots reserved for wheelchairs. Maybe if malls start clamping wheels they might learn a lesson.

Sensory-friendly public buildings: It would certainly help if government buildings and public spaces such as malls and cinemas have less noise and proper lighting. It would also help if there are quiet spaces designated in public buildings which deal with services for children, such as hospitals, government services, libraries, shopping malls etc.

Family bathrooms: What happens in the case where a teenage boy with autism cannot go to the bathroom alone and his mother needs to accompany him? Should she take him to the male washroom or to the female washroom? Whichever she chooses this teenager is left open to stares and comments from those around who might not understand his situation.

Family bathrooms will certainly help in situations like this.

Train first responders: Recently in Trinidad and Tobago we have seen where a mentally challenged man was shot by the police and the Police Service admitted that officers are not trained to deal with these kinds of cases. Therefore, it is imperative that proper training is afforded to police and fire officers as well as nurses and ambulance attendants so they can respond to emergencies in an appropriate manner.

Faster and friendlier access to social services: Too often parents of those with special needs complain that they cannot access social services for their children. This is especially seen with social welfare services.

While grants are available to children with special needs, accessing these can be a nightmare for many parents and caregivers as they are forced to make multiple trips to government offices to complete paperwork etc.

The system can be made easier with proper training of welfare officers so that they can be considerate of the needs of the families they serve, home visits or attending to those with special needs on less crowded days or special hours etc. A good example which can be adopted by other offices/businesses is the introduction of “Quiet Mondays” for special-needs applicants at the US Embassy in Port of Spain.

As we work towards creating an autism-friendly society, we can use models from different autism-friendly places. For example, families who use the Liverpool John Lennon airport in the UK can pre-order an autism awareness voucher which allows them extra support from staff and avoid long lines at security. This is something that we can implement at both our airports here in Trinidad and Tobago.

In the USA, many airlines have “rehearsal programmes” where individuals with autism can experience the whole process of travelling from check-in to boarding, before their actual flight. This gives the individual some time to adjust to the idea of travelling on an airplane, possibly preventing anxiety and meltdowns.

These are the things that we should copy and implement here in Trinidad and Tobago. Every little step in the direction of change is a significant one in the lives of those with autism and other special needs.