The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A local occupational therapist is ringing the alarm for the increasing number Bahamian children diagnosed with autism and developmental delays.

In the United States, said Shenika McIntosh, founder of Occupational Therapy Consulting Services, one in 68 children is being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. However, she believes that number may be higher here in the Bahamas.

“It’s a quiet epidemic, but no one seems to be shedding light upon it,” she told Tribune Health.

After observing this worrying trend, Ms McIntosh said she is now advocating for greater awareness and policy changes which would affect persons with disabilities in the country.

“I work both with adults and paediatrics, but mainly in the last eight months or so I have seen a very high number of paediatric clients with various diagnosis like developmental delay, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Down syndrome. It is a huge concern and my business is a way for me to advocate for a lot of persons who voices aren’t being heard,” said Ms McIntosh.

“Since returning home I have noticed an increase in children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and developmental delays. There aren’t really any statistics on it here in the Bahamas, but it’s a growing epidemic... My business is a way for children and their parents to get the help they really need in order to be functional and independent citizens. That’s what my business is all about.”

Describing her work as a ministry and not merely a job, she said:

“It’s something I’m passionate about, and whether I was making money or not, it’s something that I would be doing,” she told Tribune Health. The company she founded a little over a year ago deals with the treatment of persons who have various disabilities, as a result of either genetics, disorders, surgery or disease. She also offers training for teachers and other healthcare professionals as well as consultations for schools and healthcare facilities with interest in programme development.

She added: “My goal is to bring awareness to persons as well as advocate for policy changes with ends to report screening within our health services and ensure that there are qualified persons that are able to assist those persons after they have been identified. I think that has been an issue for so long. All of our systems need to work together and there need to be policy changes so these persons can get help so they can become independent members of society. I think we have hidden this issue for too long. It’s a growing concern. I’m seeing children older and older on the spectrum who are still unable to write and lack complete basic self-care skills.

“Imagine a 14-year-old child with autism spectrum disorder who is unable to properly dress, bathe and feed himself and is unable to function in everyday settings like the grocery store, church, and school. Or picture an 18-your-old with Down syndrome (boy) who has skills but there wasn’t a system in place where he can transition from school to the work environment. I want to be an advocate not only for education, community reintegration and adequate healthcare, but policy changes as well.”

The Bahamas enacted the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act in 2014, and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2015. The legislation outlines several provisions for persons with disabilities. The legislation states that: “Every employer having more than one hundred employees shall employ not less than one per cent of qualified persons with disabilities.”

Ms McIntosh argues that number should be higher.

“I think that we need to raise awareness about disabilities. If we don’t we are going to have more than just an epidemic,” she said. “We need to look at our education, health and social services systems, and we need to improve our statistics regarding persons with learning disabilities and developmental delays. If we act early we can try and help them as much as we can and better prepare them for society.”

• For more stories about local moves and shakers, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs in the Bahamas, visit justbiz242.com.