parents' experience and care practice in addis ababa b

61 Pages·2015·1.04 MB·English

INDIRA GANDI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

AUTISM: PARENTS’ EXPERIENCE AND CARE PRACTICE
IN ADDIS ABABA

BY: MIRAF DEMISSIE KEBED

APRIL, 2015

ADDIS ABABA
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AUTISM: PARENTS’ EXPERIENCE AND CARE PRACTICE
IN ADDIS ABABA

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, INDIRA
GANDI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEGREE OF MASTER IN SOCIAL WORK

BY: MIRAF DEMISSIE KEBEDE

ADVISOR:ASMAMAW GEBREEGZEHR
April
, 2015
Addis Ababa
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Declaration
I hereby declare that the dissertation entitled “Autism: Parents’ Experiences
and Care Practices in Addis Ababa” submitted by me for the partial
fulfillment of the Master Degree in Social Work to Indira Gandhi National
Open University (IGNOU). This thesis is my own original work and has not
been submitted earlier either to IGNOU or to any other institution for the
fulfillment of the requirement for any course of study or published in any
media. To my knowledge all the references used for the thesis have been
fully acknowledged.

Student’s Name: Miraf Demissie Kebede
Enrolment No. : ID 1115159
Address: Addis Ababa
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Signature: _ _M_i_r_a_f _D_e_m__is_s_ie__________
Date of Submission: April 30, 2015
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Certificate

This is to certify that Mrs. MIRAF DEMISSIE KEBEDE student of MSW from
Indira Gandhi National Open University, (IGNOU) New Delhi was working
under my supervision and guidance for her project work for the course
MSWP-001.
Her project work entitled “Autism: Parents’ Experiences and Care
Practices in Addis Ababa” Which she is submitting, her genuine and
original work.
Place: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Advisors Name Name: Asmamaw Gebreegziabher Beyene
Signature:
Address of supervisor: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Phone No: [phone]
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Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to thank my advisor Asmamaw Gebreegziabher Beyene for his
critical, professional and technical assistance throughout this study. Without his insightful
comments and kind advice this study would never been completed.
I would also like to extend my deepest appreciation to the organizations from which the
participants were selected and contacted. The psychiatric department of Yekatit 12
Hospital, Humanity for Change Autism Centre and Nehmiya Autism Centre need to be
acknowledged for their role played as a gate keeper and all other subsequent activities to
collect relevant data from the participants.
I am indebted to my Mother Mis Zewditu Amissie who has been there for me all the time
in every manner and the success of this study is attributed to a great extent to her
unreserved assistance, care for my baby on behalf of me. I am also indebted to my son,
Yonael Miraf for spending his infanthood time with my mother, moving from place to
place with me-without any complaint-for the accomplishment of this study.
I also would like to thank my friends, especially Solomon Tilahun, Dayan Argau and
Eedengent Zelalem for their unreserved assistance, encouragements and moral support.
Last but not least, I would like to thank my families, my brothers and sisters, my father
and especially Menbere Demissie for their support and encouragement during my study.

Of course, all this could never be achieved without the help of the almighty God.

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Dedication
This research paper is dedicated to all third world mothers who have a child with autism
and suffer that the enormous challenges.

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Acronym

ASD Autism Spectrum Disorders
A.A Addis Ababa
C/S Caesarean Section
FMOH Federal Ministry of Health
HEWs Health Exestation Workers
PDD Pervasive Developmental Disorder
WHO World Health Organization

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Table of contents
Declaration .................................................................................................................................i
Certificate ................................................................................................................................. iv
Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................... v
Dedication ................................................................................................................................ vi
Acronym .................................................................................................................................. vii
Table of contents..................................................................................................................... viii
Abstract ................................................................................................................................... xii
Chapter One ..............................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1
1.1 .Background ...................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Statement of the problem ................................................................................................ 3
1.3. Objectives....................................................................................................................... 5
1.3.1. General Objective .......................................................................................................... 5
1.3.2. Specific objectives ......................................................................................................... 5
1.4. Research Question ............................................................................................................ 5
1.5. Significance of the Study .................................................................................................. 5
1.6. Scope of the Study .......................................................................................................... 6
Chapter Two ..............................................................................................................................7
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2. Literature Review ...................................................................................................................7
2.1 Definition of ASD ............................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Parents’ awareness ........................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Importance of Early Diagnoses........................................................................................... 8
2.4 The causes of Autism ....................................................................................................... 10
2.5 Prevalence of ASD ........................................................................................................... 10
2.6 Burden of Mental Health ................................................................................................. 12
2.7 Importance of Care and support ..................................................................................... 13
2.8 Economic Effects ............................................................................................................. 14
2.9 Psychosocial Effects ......................................................................................................... 15
2.10 Associations with Seizures ............................................................................................. 16
Chapter Three .......................................................................................................................... 16
3. Method and Materials.......................................................................................................... 17
3.1. Study Center .................................................................................................................. 17
3.2. Study Design .................................................................................................................. 17
3.3. Study Population ............................................................................................................ 17
3.4. Study Participants........................................................................................................... 18
3.5. Participant Selection Procedure ...................................................................................... 18
3.6. Data Collection ............................................................................................................... 19
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3.8. Data Management and Analysis ..................................................................................... 20
3.9. Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................... 21
3.10. Limitation of the study ................................................................................................. 21
Chapter Four ............................................................................................................................ 22
4. Finding ................................................................................................................................. 22
4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 22
4.2 Demography of the Study participants and their children ................................................ 23
4.3. Awareness and perceptions about Autism ................................................................. 24
4.4. Care Practice and any type of supports ...................................................................... 27
4.4 .1 Care practice ............................................................................................................... 27
4.4.2 Any support related autistic child ................................................................................. 29
4.5. Eeconomical, Social and psychological impacts .......................................................... 30
4.5.1. Economic Effect .................................................................................................... 30
4.5.2 Social Effects............................................................................................................... 31
4.5.3 Psychological Effects..................................................................................................... 33
Chapter five ............................................................................................................................. 34
Discussion ............................................................................................................................... 35
Chapter six ............................................................................................................................... 41
6. Conclusion and recommendations ....................................................................................... 41
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