An occupational therapist, Mrs Victoria Amu, has said that early intervention in autism and psychological cases will enhance the recovery rate.

Amu, of the Paediatrics Department, Central Hospital, Benin, noted that patients with such conditions often sought help when the level of recovery and intervention was very low.

According to her, children having brain disorders like autism can experience good outcomes with early intervention.

“Autism is characterised by delayed development in basic human interactions such as the ability to identify and express feelings, communicate with others and establish social relationships “Parents should take their inactive children to the hospital when they are about three months old rather than wait for them to become five years old,.“Parents having children with brain retardation and disabilities should expose them early to an occupational therapist that will re-direct and help them attain milestones,’’ Amu said.

She urged members of the public to be vigilant and observe family members and neighbours for change in behavioural pattern and help them seek intervention on time.

“When the demand on a person is higher than what he can produce, most times it leads to a psychological break down. “Know your family members’ strengths and weaknesses and learn not to place demands that are unachievable on them. “Divers who ply one way, mothers who are depressed after child birth, students who are drug addicts and raped girls expressing post-traumatic syndrome need re-direction and rehabilitation,” she added.

Amu also called for the establishment of more Occupational Therapy centres in hospitals to handle increasing psychological cases.

According to her, the level of awareness of occupational therapy as a health issue among medical practitioners, was still low, stressing that medical directors of hospitals should be involved in educating health workers on the issue.

She added that more universities should look at creating Departments of Occupational Therapy noting that Obafemi Awolowo University was the only university in the country that had such a department.