Autism Awareness

This challenging condition can be eased with the right knowledge and support

- JANE SURTEES

WHEN he was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, it was a scary time for his mother.

Jabulani JR Yolande, realised something was wrong when the baby-talk suddenly stopped. He no longer made eye contact or responded to his name, and he had uncontrollable tantrums.

“I was alone and scared,” Yolande recalls. “I had to ask the doctor to explain the diagnosis in isiXhosa and when he said it was incurable, I almost lost it.

“I hated the world, I blamed God. I started thinking that perhaps I’d done something wrong during pregnancy.”

A day in the life of a mother of a child with autism is very unpredictable.

“Sometimes you go to bed in tears as you realise there will be things your child will never be able to do. You struggle to communicate with them. JR would cry and laugh out of the blue and I’d desperately wish I knew what was in his mind.”

Yolande, who describes herself as a self-appointed autism awareness ambassador, took up the challenge and equipped herself with information. “Most people don’t have a clue what autism is, and neither did I,” she admits. “My dream is to see people living with autism being accepted and understood so I visit churches with my son and I inspire and motivate people on radio and at workshops.”

JR, now 17, attends a special needs school in East London. He’s a self taught pianist who has performed at various festivals, including the Grahamstown National Arts Festival where he received an Ovation Award in 2019.