Meet Kenya's Leading Doctoral Level Board Certified Behavior Analyst Based In US

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), also popularly known as autism, is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. 

People with ASD often have problems with social communication, interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests. They may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one out of 160 people has autism spectrum disorder. In Kenya, ASD affects approximately four per cent of the population according to a 2007 Autism Society of Kenya estimation - one autistic child for every 25 children, which is higher than the global level.

Even though there have been concerted efforts in diagnostic and therapeutic options for children and their families in developing nations, the attention placed on the same in Kenya and other developing nations is underdeveloped and inadequate at best.

Dr Lincoln Kamau talks to parents during one of the training sessions on autism. /STANDARD DIGITAL

To mitigate this, an organisation dubbed Autism Lights  Inc. based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States (US) was founded to create Autism awareness, and acceptance and to help improve access to resources and treatment/management options, especially in Kenya.

Steering its operations as its director of clinical research and international development is Dr Lincoln Kamau (Kenyan Bred/Boston Based), BCBA-D, who is Kenya’s only Doctoral level, Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Describing his experience on his official website, Dr Lincoln specialises in pediatric autism interventions, (for work) which entails identifying areas of assessment and developing custom clinical and educational interventions for kids and families with autism.

Among his areas of expertise include but are not limited to Autism Assessment Speech and Language in autism, Behavioral Assessment and Treatment of Social Behavior and function in Autism.

The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in April 2019 held a training on how to handle autistic children and adults at Buruburu Primary School in Nairobi which also brought together parents and teachers.

The training sought to decrease stigma based on culturally inaccurate myths and fear of the unknown and to ensure access to education in public schools in an inclusive setting for all children diagnosed with Autism.

He noted at the time that current statistics of autism globally were higher than pediatric HIV, Cancer and Diabetes combined, affirming that autism is a global crisis that needs to be addressed urgently.

“We strongly believe that since free primary school education is a right to every child in Kenya, it should also be a right, accessible to all children with Autism. 1 out of 65 school-going children in the United States have autism,” Dr Lincoln was quoted by The Standard.

Alongside Jessica Heller, an Autism Consultant, Dr Lincoln provided free consultations to parents of children diagnosed with autism in Kenya as well as undertaking training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to professionals, Special Education Teachers and Parents of autistic children so they can have the skill set required to effectively work with the Autism population.

ABA has been hailed as the most effective, evidence and research-based methodology in the treatment of autism and involves a set of powerful techniques used to teach new skills, increase communication, promote independence and decrease challenging behaviours.

Dr Lincoln started as a clinical unit supervisor and behaviour analyst for two years (between 2010 and 2012) before moving to work as a District-Wide Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at Plainfield Public Schools in the US until 2013 and in the same BCBA capacity at doctoral level at the Autism Therapeutic Consultants, also in the US.

Other than his current stint at Autism Lights, he also works in the faculty department of graduate psychology at Kaplan University where he taught and trained in areas of Research Methods, Observation and Measurement and Professional Ethics and Issues in Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis.

Dr Lincoln also works as an Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) Consultant in Eastern Africa based in Nairobi.

His wealth of education includes a Master of Arts in Psychology from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Education in Teaching, Learning and Educational Transformation and a BCBA in Applied Behaviour Analysis, both from the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston), a Doctorate in Education in Curriculum Leadership from Northeastern University and from the Yale School of Public Health where he specialised in Climate Change and Health.

The licensed International Behaviour Analyst is also a Climate Change, Adaptation and Mitigation Consultant and is constantly involved in spreading awareness of autism with his sticky note posts on the matter on his Instagram page.

"Well, I wear socks that match!" describes his life philosophy on his website.

According to the Centre For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with ASD exhibit the following characteristics: delayed language skills, delayed movement skills, delayed cognitive or learning skills, hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive behaviour as well as epilepsy or seizure disorder.

Other characteristics include unusual eating and sleeping habits, gastrointestinal issues (for example, constipation), an unusual mood or emotional reactions, anxiety, stress or excessive worry and lack of fear or more fear than expected.

A graphic explaining autism spectrum disorder. /FILE