The Story of Patrick’s: The First Center for Children with Autism in Nigeria

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most common developmental disorders. However, there are still no epidemiological studies of ASD in African countries. In Nigeria, many children are diagnosed with ASD late or only if there are symptoms that severely inhibit their ability to function. Moreover, there are limited treatment options. This paper will describe the efforts of Patrick Speech and Languages Centre (Patrick’s), the first center in Nigeria specifically for children with ASD, which was set up to assess and treat autism