Communication difficulties in children aged three to fourteen years having autism spectrum disorder with learning disability at Hearts Home, Uganda, Buziga

Abstract

Objective:to find out the communication difficulties in children aged 3-14 years having ASD with learning disability at Hearts home Uganda, Buziga Method: a descriptive cross sectional study was carried out at Hearts home Uganda a school of children with special needs with a total of 28 children under study using questionares and observations were used as tools Results: all children (100%) were not able to read , write and do mathematics. In the study, 78.57% of the children were not able to produce intelligible speech, 22 children used inappropriate facial expressions as a form of communication. Results further showed that 64.25% of the children didn't use words to express themselves, the 35.75% that used words were imageable, and 71.42% of the children used self injurious behaviours in an attempt to communicate The prevalence of communication difficulties in occurance with ASD was higher in makes than in females at a ratio of 3.5:1 Conclusion: most of the children exhibited communication difficulties that affected their learning capabilities that is reading, writing and mathematics this need for the ministry of health to increase awareness about communication difficulties and sensitization of general population about need to seek speech and language services