TITLE:
A Review of Autism Spectrum Disorder among the Somali Diaspora: Implications for Autism Care in Somalia
AUTHORS:
Zakaria Ahmed Mohamed, Erick Thokerunga, Chunjiao Tang, Ali Omar Jimale, Jingyi Fan
KEYWORDS:
Autism, ASD, Somali, Immigrants, Diaspora
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.12 No.3,
July
28,
2022
ABSTRACT: Despite the dramatic increase in autism spectrum
disorders (ASD) globally, no research has been conducted in Somalia regarding
ASD. However, research studies from Somali immigrants (diaspora) living in
Sweden, the US, the UK, etc., have been major contributors to the subject of ASD among people of Somali descent. In this review, we aimed to examine ASD among
the Somali diaspora community in terms of its prevalence, possible causes,
knowledge of the diseases among the diaspora community, and the challenges faced in raising ASD-affected children in a foreign country. These findings create a general
picture of the magnitude of the burden of ASD diagnosis and management and the
coping mechanisms adopted by the Somali diaspora community, which are vital
lessons for policymakers, child health non-governmental organizations, and the professional medical bodies aiming to tackle ASD back home in
Somalia. The study found that ASD is three to five times more prevalent among children of Somali descent than their peers from other backgrounds and that Somali children were generally diagnosed much later than their
peers and often presented with lower intellectual abilities than their peers.
Furthermore, Somali immigrants were found to have low levels of knowledge about
autism, faced stigma and discrimination and often resorted to religion and a
small tight circle of friends and family for social support. They faced a huge
challenge of seeking access to healthcare and schools for their autistic
children and have a mistrust of social services for
fear of the government taking away their children. These findings raise the
possibility that neglected ASD cases may be prevalent in Somalia and thus makes
recommendations for future research, social policy development, and early
intervention services for individuals with autism in Somalia.