ROOTS TO RECOVERY: A JOURNALIST’S JOURNEY TO EMPOWER NON-VERBAL CHILDREN

“I became the new roots for the non verbal child proving that resilience can overcome limitations.”

AMINA ACCRAM

2024

MY WORK

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"Roots!!!" – It's often the first word you hear in many parts of Africa when someone falls ill. In fact, hospitals are rarely the preferred option unless someone is on their deathbed– something I have witnessed firsthand through the years of reporting across the continent.

I never expected to become an advocate for children with speech delays, but my personal journey took me down a rabbit hole, an unexpected path that few would willingly navigate. When my son was still not verbal at age five, I, too became skeptical of modern medical approaches and began exploring alternative treatments to support his condition.

At the peak of my journalism career, juggling demands of reporting in the challenging African media landscape, I faced an unexpected and deeply personal challenge navigating life as a single mother with a non-verbal child and trying to balance the pressures of my profession. It pushed me to explore alternative therapies that went beyond conventional medicine. In South Africa where I had lived, doctors often advised the use of traditional medicine, pointing towards solutions like Ritalin.

Ritalin, a drug originally developed as an antidepressant, is now widely given to children as young as two years old as a primary treatment for attention disorders. Even in Africa, where the Western world often perceives medicine as outdated, doctors in the cities are increasingly using modern pharmaceuticals to treat patients. Unless you live in a remote rural area or village where the nearest hospital is thousands of miles away, a non-verbal child is often met with a mix of traditional remedies, consultations with healers, or social exclusion with claims of being bewitched. In such settings, the concept of medications like Ritalin or Strattera is virtually unheard of.

Amina Accram

Amina Accram was a journalist

In the cities, many Black families still turn to church pastors and healers, holding onto beliefs in witchcraft and hoping that prayers can lift any curses preventing their child from speaking.

So there I was- searching, reading, trying to make sense of the proposed a one-size all-fits solution drugs. I delved into personalized treatments and sought holistic doctors, who were scarce and hard to find. Horse therapy introduced my child to the rhythmic movement and calming presence of horses, sparking connections that words could not. I looked at play therapy, yoga and dance therapy for core muscles strengthening, swimming therapy that activated his sensory and physical benefits, brought moments of joy and discovery. My mom suggested I take him to the bird parks and the zoo. The interactions with animals and time spent with nature opened doors to new experiences that nurtured growth.

These efforts were challenging and required immense patience, but they were rooted in a belief that my child’s voice could be found through connection, experience, and love–not through quick fixes. This journey though strenuous reshaped my understanding of resilience, both as a mother and a journalist committed to telling stories that matter the most.

I became the new roots!!!! For the non-verbal child, offering hope and support where conventional medicine fell short. To this day, I continue to advise mothers facing similar challenges, drawing from my own journey. I want my story and resilience to be a testament that giving up is never the answer, no matter how tough the roads get.

Amina Accram

Amina Accram believes giving up is never the answer

Amina Accram Brooks is a Kenyan-born, South African journalist with a master’s in Journalism and media from the Hussman School of Journalism, University of North Carolina. She has covered civil war in East and Central Africa. A former economic journalist with the South African Broadcasting Corporation she has traveled extensively and interviewed prominent African politicians and newsmakers.