Connect with us

Hot!

Liztino Centre …Safe haven for autistic children

●Mrs Angel Bertino

The Liztino Centre for Children with Special Needs has over the past decade become a safe haven for children born with autism disorder spectrum.

The centre, a parent’s quest to support an autistic child to live a normal life, had since been providing comfort and hope to families that have children with special needs.

Mrs Elizabeth Angel Acquah Bertino founded the centre in 2016, few years after his child, Phil Bertino was diag­nosed of autistic disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a development dis­ability caused by differences in the brain. People with the disorder often have problems with social communication and interaction and restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests.

People with the disorder may also have different ways of learning, moving or paying attention. It is important to note that some people with­out the disorder might also have some of these symp­toms but for people with the disorder, these characteristics could make life very challeng­ing.

Advertisement

Some of the characteristics include, delayed language skills, delayed movement skills, delayed cognitive or learning skills, hyperactive, impulsive and/or inattentive behaviour.

Epilepsy or seizure dis­order, unusual eating and sleeping habits, gastroin­testinal issues (for example constipation), unusual mood or emotional reactions, anxi­ety, stress or excessive worry as well as lack of fear or more fear than usual are also some of the signs associated with it.

Following the success of the centre in transforming her now 16-year-old ward to live a normal life and gradually on his way to full recovery, Mrs Bertino decided to stretch her hands to other children through several awareness campaigns and services at her centre.

The campaigns engaged students, homes, companies and people on the streets as part of efforts to demystify the myths surrounding chil­dren with autism.

Some of the myths include autism is caused by vaccines, autism is a spiritual problem and people with the condition do not deserve to live (espe­cially in Africa), autism is a childhood condition, autistic people have learning difficul­ties and autism is caused by bad parenting.

Her approach to dealing with the condition is basically accessing a child’s current sit­uation, engage in therapy and most importantly dieting which could provide a great deal of transformation to the child.

Advertisement

For Mrs Bertino, the most import­ant part of the healing process was dieting as it reduces the hy­peractive behaviour and positions the person in a con­dition that could lead to other thera­pies required to manage the condition.

Mrs Bertino insists on early recognition as well as be­havioural, educa­tional and family therapies that had over the years helped in reducing the symptoms and support develop­ment and learning.

Essentially, her therapies that have been used at the facili­ty following research and education ranges from anger management, family therapy, applied behaviour analysis, behavioural therapy, sensory processing and exercising.

For anger management, she practices mindfulness, coping mechanisms and trigger avoidance to minimise destructive emotional out­bursts and with family thera­py, psychological counselling that helps families resolve conflicts, feel better about the situation and communi­cate more effectively.

Applied behaviour analy­sis is also used as a teaching method that helps autistic children learn socially relevant skills by encouraging positive be­haviour while behavioural therapy focuses on modifying harmful characters associated with psychological distress.

Advertisement

She also emphasises on sensory process­ing which deals with the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioural responses.

She also turned one of her hobbies-cooking, into provid­ing adequate diets for patients under her care. For example, she bakes sugar-free bread which has essential ingre­dients including honey since sugar might trigger hyperac­tive behaviours.

She also loves to read which helped with engaging in research online to improve upon her works while exercis­ing is her personal attribute which also translate into therapy for her patients.

She currently has over 20 children under her care at her facility which she operates at her residence in Adenta.

Advertisement

Mrs Bertino also loves to spend time with his family of five (a supportive husband, a precious son and two lovely daughters).

Mrs Bertino is a preacher of love and is of the view that love was the greatest gift hu­mans can give to one anoth­er – an approach she uses in dealing with the patients that throng her facility on daily basis.

While engaging in her awareness creation and providing care for children with autism at her facility, she calls for support from the government and corporate entities to provide better con­ditions for people with autism disorder.

She essentially called on teachers and caregivers to treat people with autism with love and care as that would help them integrate into soci­ety and become better.

Advertisement

In a way to give back to society, aside the annual awareness creation campaigns which is usually used to donate items to the needy in society, she also holds regular ‘Liztino Special Tutorials’ to teach people about autism in areas of understanding the disorder, early detection, some treatment and special diet.

“Together we can pro­vide the support, love, care and attention to people with autism and make the world a better place for all as disabili­ty is never an inability be­cause there is something good in every child,” she said.

By Michael D. Abayateye

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Hot!

Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.

Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.

He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.

“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.

Advertisement

President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.

He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.

He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.

“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.

Advertisement

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Continue Reading

Hot!

Prophet Courage Heavens set to launch ‘Predestination’ book on March 23

Prophet Courage A. Heavens is set to launch the much-awaited book titled ‘Predestination’ on Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 5:00PM.

The launch, which is expected to impact lives, will take place at Crossgates Ministries, Flattop, off N1 Highway, opposite Angel Hauz.

The book is aimed at addressing the way people struggle to understand how free will and destiny align.

It is also aimed at providing clarity on God’s sovereignty and one’s place in His divine plan.

Advertisement

The various chapters of the book address various issues through scriptures and personal stories.

Committed to impacting society, part of the proceeds from the book will go into Courage Heavens Education Legacy (CHEL), an educational foundation transforming lives.

CHEL is dedicated to providing financial support and mentorship to brilliant but needy students, ensuring they have access to quality education and opportunities for a better future.

Prophet Courage Heavens is a prolific writer and previously authored Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani, a powerful book that encourages unwavering faith in times of trials.

In addition, he has written seven more prophetic and life-changing books that are yet to be published.

Advertisement

He is dedicated to raising the next generation for impactful ministry. As the leader of Crossgates Ministries, he nurtures believers in faith and purpose.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending