Guinea Mother Seeks Autism Care for Son at New School

A family in Guinea first sought help from a traditional healer when their son showed signs of autism as a child. The boy avoided eye contact and had difficulty communicating, prompting the family to take him to a hospital in Conakry where he received an autism diagnosis.

Neighbors made rude comments about the child, and some suggested the mother take him to the bush and throw him away. The mother, a 55-year-old trader, refused to remove him from school despite the comments.

Guinea's government does not keep records on autism.

The World Health Organization reported that about one in 127 people worldwide had autism in 2021, though prevalence in many low- and middle-income countries remains unknown. In Guinea, a nation of about 15 million people, only a few schools cater to children with autism and they can cost up to $300 per month.

The minimum wage is 550,000 Guinea francs ($63) a month, and 43.7% of citizens live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.

2023, the son enrolled in a newly opened free school for children with autism after staff learned of him during an outreach program. The school teaches 15 students in a large house with three teachers and covers basic skills such as identifying objects and operating a TV remote.

The school organized what it called the country's first international seminar on autism last year. It is registered with Guinea's educational authorities but does not receive government funding. The now-15-year-old boy still spends time away from many community members who attribute his condition to an unknown evil and want him shunned.

His mother said her most ardent wish is that he learns to read and write.