Abstract:
Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impairment in verbal and non-verbal
communication. Autistic children are not able to effectively communicate verbally and convey meaning to the
caregivers as typical children do. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics has no data on autism in Kenya. This
shows that autism is yet to get attention it deserves in the country. This study therefore sought to explore the
experiences encountered by three Kenyan caregivers while communicating with autistic children. The study
adopted a qualitative research design and was conducted in Nairobi County. Semi structured Interviews and
observation methods were used to generate data. The findings reveal that caregivers of autistic children face
many challenges such as difficulties in communication and lack proper knowledge on communication
intervention for autistic children. The study concluded that autistic children can be helped to live a full life like
any child with early communication intervention. The study strongly recommends that policy makers should
sensitize caregivers on importance of early communication intervention.
