Isabella Peixoto Barcelos, a pediatric neurologist and Brazilian neurogeneticist, a physician at the Pediatric Hospital of Philadelphia, the oldest pediatric institution in the United States, says that prejudice about autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is associated with a lack of information. This Sunday (2) is World Autism Awareness Day.
“Much of the prejudice that exists today comes from the lack of knowledge that still exists about autism. People think that the child or adult who is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has limitations that, in fact, they do not. And they ignore that they have many qualities that they have no idea about,” he said, in an interview with Brazil Agency.
Isabela highlighted that, sometimes, it is possible to have a student considered very serious who, many times, proves to be more intelligent than the others in the classroom.
“There aren’t all those limitations that you think at first, that the person is disabled, can’t have an emotional life, can’t work. On the contrary. The objective is to make that person as functional as possible, that he develops as much as possible, within the potential that he carries, ”he said.
According to the doctor, this development is possible with appropriate therapies. However, she warns that, to reach this level of training, Brazilian therapists need to have a training that includes graduation, master’s degree in behavioral therapy with at least 1,500 hours of practice.
“The right therapy changes the lives of these children, leading them to live in society”, he pondered. Isabella Peixoto intends to create a structured autism service when she returns to the country.
augmentative and alternative communication
Alice Casimiro/Instagram/Disclosure
Alice Casimiro is 24 years old and lives in Rio de Janeiro. She is autistic level 2 support (moderate), ADHD and user of augmentative communication. Creator of the page Alice Neurodiversa, she is an activist for neurodiversity and a ‘copywriter’ (specialist in advertising writing).
She says writing on her page has allowed her to gain some financial independence. The young woman also revises texts and, “occasionally”, looks for a formal job. Although she is a quieter person, Alice Casimiro claims to have her own opinions, desires and desires. And she uses augmentative communication to complement what she can express by speaking.
According to specialists Maria Lúcia Sartoretto and Rita Bersh, authors of the Assistive website, augmentative and alternative communication values the subject’s expression, from other communication channels other than speech, such as gestures, sounds, facial and body expressions. They can be used and socially identified to express desires, needs, opinions, positions, such as: yes, no, hello, bye, bathroom, I’m fine, I feel pain, I want (a certain thing that is pointed out), I’m hungry and others communication contents needed in everyday life.
Culture
The Banco do Brasil Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro (CCBB RJ), through its CCBB Educativo program, promotes accessible visits on Sundays, by appointment, for groups of autistic people and their companions.
The meetings take place at exclusive times, one hour before the opening of the exhibition to the general public, and bring together a maximum of ten people. Visits are carried out from 8 am. Scheduling can be done by calling (21) 3808-2070 or by e-mail: [email protected].
