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Today’s MinnPost.com reports that “First generation U.S.-born Somali-speaking children in Minneapolis schools are disproportionately identified as having autism.” There are 15,000 to 40,000 Somalis living in Minnesota, a 2001 state health department study reports. According to the Minnesota Department of Education:
in the Minneapolis’ early childhood and kindergarten programs, more than 12 percent of the students with autism reported speaking Somali at home. According to Minneapolis school officials, more than 17 percent of the children in the district’s early childhood special education autism program are Somali speaking.
Almost 6 percent of the district’s total enrollment is made up of Somali-speaking students, and about 6 percent of the children in the district’s overall early childhood and kindergarten special education programs are Somali.
Anne Harrington, early childhood special education coordinator for the Minneapolis district, notes that it’s the “‘more severe forms of autism that we’re seeing in our Somali babies that are born here,’” and that more than a few families have two autistic children. She also notes that the Somali community is struggling to find health services and understand autism.
According to Huda Farah, a Somali advocate who collaborates with the health department and trains childcare providers who work with autistic Somali children, language barriers and a lack of understanding of the complex U.S. medical system are key reasons why many Somali parents don’t seek medical help for their autistic children.
Cultural barriers also impede: Unlike in the United States, children in Somalia aren’t taken to a doctor for developmental disorders.
It’s precisely the cultural issues—the understanding of autism in Somali culture and in Somalis who now reside in the US—that the MinnPost.com article needs to further address. A July 15th article in The Local, a Swedish newspaper written in English, is cited as describing “that country’s Somali population and its high prevalence of autism.” The Local article, though, is actually about a theory about a lack of vitamin D causing autism. Neither article considers how autism is understood, identified, or diagnosed in Somalia; both immediately invoke theories of environmental causes, leading David Kirby to make a number of speculations about autism in the children of immigrants to the US:
It would be very interesting, I believe, to look at autism rates in high and low immigration states. Not to implicate vaccines, but to find out if children of immigrants are more at risk than our native born population — and why.
And one suspects that his “and why” is not going to rush to take into account the numerous socio-cultural, economic, legal, language and other obstacles that immigrants face.
We were living in St. Paul when my son was diagnosed. I’m third-generation Chinese American, overly educated and a professor of Latin and Greek, all duly noted on the forms I filled out for the school district who evaluated Charlie. One of the first questions the Child Study Team asked:
“Is English the primary language spoken in the house?”
Hello everyone,
I am also Somali, attending one the fine universities in MN. I see a lot of discussions going on in here and I am glad that most of these are positive and from concerning fellow humans. First off, I was shocked when I heard the news of the raising rate of Autism among Somalis in Minnesota. There are many factors why these studies show that Somalis in MN have the highest rate of Autism. First, we have to consider “cultural differences”. Somali culture is far different from Western Culture and people find it weird even teachers, doctors and a like. Therefore, before diagnosing a child with a disorder, doctors need to be sensitive to cultural differences. That I believe is an important step and the way to make sure that a child is not mistakenly diagnosed with a disorder they don’t have, is to have doctors, psychologists and professions that understand the culture. This means that its fair to consult with Somali doctors/students that care this matter.
If Somali children in Minnesota has this type of disorder, then that alone tells that it has to do a lot with environmental causes. There are thousands of Somali across the Globe, in places like Canada, Holland, Norway, Uk, Denmark. We have to ask ourselves why this is only happening in MN and in Sweden. There has to be some sort of chemical that these people enter counter with that causes this.
I’m only suggesting that we all look into this matter with a an open minded heart and mind, to further our research and have the Somali Community take part in the massive researches going on in this matter. Somali Community in Mn have doctors, Lawyers, Social works and anyone that can help. There’s a saying that says, “send a thieve to caught a thieve”, Our doctors and Students can help a great deal, so let us participate. Let’s all help each other, let’s have understanding and respect for one another.
God Bless
1266 days ago
[...] in July, it was reported that the rate of autism in Somali children in Minnapolis was notably high. According to the Minnesota Department of Education: in the Minneapolis’ early [...]
1267 days ago
[...] of interest in the online autism world. Kristina Chew’s article provoked much discussion on Autism Vox. David Kirby weighed in of course with Is Autism an “American Disease?” I found his [...]
1289 days ago
[...] Minneapolis (not Milwaukee) is “lousy” with Somali children who have autism (which is not, of [...]
I don’t understand why media especially Minneapolis is fixated on Somali Issues!! I do believe there are many American born who has Autism and I haven’t been any news comes from that. Startribune other like newspaper trying to make their mark on Somali Community like any other immigrants who come before us/have suffered misleading perception. I urge you not make this issue as problem only happens to Somalis, believe me I never heard of Autism before I come here. 100% believe teachers, doctors, social worker in the school all making it bigger than it’s and put fear in our community.
I certainly believe any Somali mother wouldn’t listen false information that cycling around them. I am one of them. Get the point nothing is wrong with us, just few kid who happen to be sick, just like any other kids in America!! I never recall kids who have cancer in our community that doesn’t mean that only this disease happens to America kids only. People think!!!!!
After reading all of these postings there is one thing is that we need a better set of rules on how to tell who has autism and who don”t. I know there are many diffent neocenes of the disorder. You can take two people and show them the same thingand they will see two diffent things. So as was said on another board we need a bio marker. So her is just an idea on a bio marker. What if we take a blood and hair sample and see how much lead, arsenic or thimerosal. You may have to take samples of older that we know that don”t have autism to get a base line and when the line exceeds a certain level we could say that the disorder is there.
1352 days ago
[...] few weeks ago, the Minnesota Post addressed this question. The August 24th Star-Tribune also reported on this “cluster of [...]
From an article in today’s Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
@Farhia,
Hope your daughters are doing well. Are there any efforts with the education system to reach out to the Somali community and is there are, what do you think of these—not really helpful, not sufficiently understanding of the situation for Somali families? (Hope these questions are all right to ask.)
I am Somali and I do have two girls born in U.S. Yes, even though I do not see the signs of autism, but I am worry. In MN our early education system is far from perfect when it comes to addressing the basics like language resources, educating families about autism, or any other concerns their kids may have. First teacher’s deals with the immigrant mother like they’re unintelligent, the governmental agencies sees as problem and good hunt for grants. Middleman so call Somali Educated individuals who has no regards other than getting piece of the pie. Now it comes to the truth is autism in the Somali Community really exist? Do language/ lack of early education play a role? Since immigrant mothers struggles daily basis and don’t have time for their children “lack of activities, socialization, peers, contributes? I guess we never know the truth, but let’s not rush to something is wrong labeling at least for now
1373 days ago
[...] of weeks ago the Minnesota Post did an article on rates of autism in Somali children in Minneapolis, with the suggestion that “something” about being in the US was causing higher rates of [...]
((C. S. Wyatt Wrote:
They have several special charter schools here, including one now in some trouble for being overtly religious. It is a highly segregated population, clearly distinct locally. There is a Somali “healer” located on 35th street near my house, for example.
As more become aware of religious exemptions for vaccinations, I expect to see a rise in mumps, measles, and other infections. It will be interesting to see how MN reacts.))
I think there is nothing to surprise when you see a 25 years old Somali man/woman who can’t read or write because as we all know there wasn’t such a central government in that country for the last 18 years and since they had arrived here, in the mean time lot of them are graduating from the high schools, colleges and University in every state and for that matter who knows for how your grand parents or greater grand-parents were when they come over here? Therefore I’m suggesting it’s good for you to educate yourself and learn more about this community before you write something that isn’t true, unfounded but baseless gossip, indeed.
The last an estimate shows there is more than 30,000 of them in here MN and you are talking about just one Somali healer near your house although I don’t heard before and personally don’t belief such a healer could do anything for me, but you don’t see for how many Christian clergies/pastors on the national TV shows on every weekend that saying they can heal a someone who maybe was blind, handicap, deaf or worse for simply touching the person’s head or hand and the person can get up from the wheel chair and star walking or could see or hear.. Which I do respect for whatever someone beliefs regardless of their back ground.
When it comes to the Autism epidemic, no matter for what Mayo clinic or other institution would say this is something that terrorizing the community with those who were born in here not the immigrant kids from Africa and we have to find an answer for it.
C. S. Wyatt
((Your Wrote))
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I think there is nothing to surprise when you see a 25 years old Somali man/woman who can’t read or write because as we all know there wasn’t such a central government in that country for the last 18 years and since they had arrived here, in the mean time lot of them are graduating from the high schools, colleges and University in every state and for that matter who knows for how your grand parents or greater grand-parents were when they come over here? Therefore I’m suggesting it’s good for you to educate yourself and learn more about this community before you write something that isn’t true, unfounded but baseless gossip, indeed.
The last an estimate shows there is more than 30,000 of them in here MN and you are talking about just one Somali healer near your house although I don’t heard before and personally don’t belief such a healer could do anything for me, but you don’t see for how many Christian clergies/pastors on the national TV shows on every weekend that saying they can heal a someone who maybe was blind, handicap, deaf or worse for simply touching the person’s head or hand and the person can get up from the wheel chair and star walking or could see or hear.. Which I do respect for whatever someone beliefs regardless of their back ground.
When it comes to the Autism epidemic, no matter for what Mayo clinic or other institution would say this is something that terrorizing the community with those who were born in here not the immigrant kids from Africa and we have to find an answer for it.
It was not much of a read and the way the Swedish newspaper (a Swedish English-language newspaper) is being cited, you’d think it was actually a scientific publication.
My wife and I watched the report on WCCO. It was lousy reporting, just like it has been all week.
It was curious that the report focused on “avoidance of sunlight” among immigrants from Africa. But they didn’t even bother trying to explain that statement or its source.
At least they did mention the high rates of autism being diagnosed in Israel among Ethiopian immigrants, as well as the high rates of East Africans with autism in Sweden.
That 6% of the population is 25% of special education points to a much larger problem. The same ratio hold for autism, by the way: Somali’s are 25% of the IDEA/OSEP autism IEPs reported by Minneapolis.
WCCO on high autism rates among Somalis in Minnesota:
Vaccinations are brought up; how autism is understood and diagnosed in Somalia is not.
Exemption Law:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/immunize/laws/exemption.html
If the person has not been immunized because of the conscientiously held beliefs of the parent/guardian of the minor child (or of the emancipated person), the parent/guardian (or emancipated person) must submit a notarized statement signed by the minor child’s parent/guardian (or by the emancipated person) to the school or childcare facility specifying the immunization(s) is not required.
@Donna:
Somali immigrants are among the “least educated” according to MN Dept. of Education statistics. They have a special immigration status due to the civil war in their nation.
They have several special charter schools here, including one now in some trouble for being overtly religious. It is a highly segregated population, clearly distinct locally. There is a Somali “healer” located on 35th street near my house, for example.
As more become aware of religious exemptions for vaccinations, I expect to see a rise in mumps, measles, and other infections. It will be interesting to see how MN reacts.
We also have a religious exemption for the genetic screening required in MN, but it is “opt out” so most people don’t seem to know they can skip the screening.
@Omar
As noted by Mayo Clinic studies, vaccinations were less common (there is a religious exemption allowed, by the way), generally given at later ages, and usually administered in a “wider band” (incrementally, over time) within the Somali population of MN.
Studies in the Middle East and Africa have shown that when the U.S. DSM-IV criteria are used, more children are diagnosed as “autistic” than when the French criteria (more common in the region than the DSM) are applied.
The official count of the WHO is 16,000 cases in Somalia, with a diagnostic rate of 1:2000 or higher, but this was highly regionalized. No full-scale study has been conducted in Somalia, for somewhat obvious reasons. (2005, WHO survey.)
Most African nations surveyed do have a high rate of “hidden” conditions. This was assumed to be cultural.
Severe cases are more problematic.
Infant mortality rates for African-Americans and African immigrants are 13.6 to 27 per 1000 births, compared to 5:1000 general rate in the U.S. Rates of retardation are also tripled, as are rates of autism.
One thing that probably hasn’t been considered is whether the assumption that autism is rare in Somalia has any basis in fact. Is there a survey?
What is the prevalence of mental retardation in Somalia?
Other than that, click on my ‘nym for a walk through literature that suggests autism is more common among the children of first-generation immigrants of various nationalities in many different countries.