Family struggles to meet the needs of autistic son
Phillip Odhiambo and his mother Dorothy Achieng’ at their home in Pala, Kendu Bay in Homa Bay County in this picture taken on May 18, 2023.
Phillip Odhiambo’s story sounds like fiction. In a short span of 17 years, the young man from Wagwe village in Karachuonyo, Homa Bay County, has experienced the worst in life.
For his 39-year-old mother, Dorothy Achieng, the excitement of delivering a bouncing baby boy on November 22, 2005 lasted only five minutes.
“I could not hide my joy when I was told it was a boy,” the mother of six recalled. But just about five minutes afterwards, Ms Achieng was shocked when her son’s body started turning yellow.
Phillip Odhiambo displays certificates he was awarded as an athlete in past editions of school games at their home in Pala, Kendu Bay in Homa Bay County in this picture taken on May 18, 2023.
The news that their second-born had been diagnosed with autism literally broke the family apart.
Philip’s condition saw him struggle to achieve developmental milestones as the mother single-handedly worked to provide for his needs.
“Unlike his peers, his neck could not stabilise even at five years,” she said, adding that the numerous physiotherapy sessions and traditional herbal medicine failed to work. With his right side of the body paralysed, Phillip managed to move around with a walking stick.
At the age of 10, he was enrolled at Nyaburi Integrated School in Kendu Bay where he started his formal education. Despite his condition, Phillip was a jovial and playful child who freely interacted and played with his peers.
The school helped to nurture his various sporting talents, which saw him participate in the annual games competitions for the physically handicapped up to the national levels.
“My son was able to get a number of certificates and medals whenever he participated in various sporting activities,” said his mother.
Phillip Odhiambo with his mother Dorothy Achieng’ at their home in Pala, Kendu Bay in Homabay County on May 18.
However, in a twist of fate, Phillip’s condition worsened when his left hand got paralysed a few weeks before he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam in 2020.
“The fact that his only functioning hand got immobilised made it difficult for him to perform any duty on his own,” said Ms Achieng.
Despite securing admission to secondary school after sitting for his exam in hospital, he failed to proceed to report due to financial constraints.
For the last three years, Ms Achieng has been forced to take care of her son like a little baby as he remains unable to take care of himself.
“I do everything from washing him and even waking him up at night to turn him,” she said.
One of her biggest nightmares is when she has to take Philip to the hospital.
“Since my son cannot sit down on his own, I often get turned down by boda boda operators who feel frightened by his condition,” said Ms Achieng.
The lack of a National Health Insurance Fund cover has put a heavy financial burden on the family whenever there is an emergency. Her numerous trips to hospitals has led to the accumulation of huge bills.
“The nearby medical facilities often refer me to hospitals that are over 20km away saying that they do not have the capacity to manage patients with autism,” said the mother.
Sharing a room with her six children in their two-roomed mabati house, family members take turns to look after Phillip.
“I am glad that my children have embraced his condition even if my husband and other relatives do not want to hear anything to do with him,” she said.
To help him to be mobile and independent, the US-based Father Heart of God Ministries donated a wheelchair to him through George Mark Onyango and Ashley Onyango.
Despite all the challenges and discomfort, Phillip maintains a wide smile and struggles to give his side of the story.
“I remain prayerful and hopeful that I will one day go back to my normal self and go back to school like my peers,” he said.
