Joshua plays with his mom Michelle while his father Matthew and grandmother Diane look on. - Photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Gayle Cunningham and Kathy Chang started a support group, last November, for parents of children with autistic disorder. The group meets regularly at the YMCA in St. Andrew.

Gayle said that "meetings for advocacy and change are once a month, while the parent support group meets bi-monthly. Of course parents are welcome to all meetings, but we have found that most people need time to come to terms with the diagnosis before they can think about advocacy and making change because this may entail being in the public and quite a few parents are still private about their child's diagnosis".

The goals of the group are:

1. To raise awareness about autism in Jamaica.

2. To assist in research about the prevalence of autism in Jamaica.

3. To lobby for action, intervention, accommodation and solutions:

Tax relief for autistic individuals and families affected.

Early screening

Free health care, occupational, speech and physical therapy, psychiatric and psychological care.

Subsidised education (parents to only pay the same as all others, no extra for special care).

Funding

Training

Support

4. To take the steps necessary to have an education system in Jamaica that is inclusive for our children.

The second in the series of conferences - 'Coping with autism' - will be held June 16 at University Hospital of the West Indies' Medical Lecture Hall starting at 8:30 a.m.

eulalee.thompson@gleanerjm.com