Left Behind
Raising Neurodivergent Children in South-East Nigeria
An ethnographic study of eight families in Enugu State, this report offers an unflinching account of what it actually feels like — inside the home, at the kitchen table, at the church gate — to raise a neurodivergent child in South-East Nigeria. It documents six interconnected themes: late recognition, domestic reordering, faith and stigma, institutional failure, gendered caregiving, and the quiet emergence of advocacy. It is a public record and a call to action.
Lumos Systems Ltd | March 2026
Key Findings
of children in Imo State have neurodevelopmental conditions — far exceeding national and global averages.
certified autism specialists serve a population of over 220 million people across Nigeria.
years is the average diagnostic delay experienced by families in this study.
Observe. Track. Consult.
Lumos Milestones gives you a structured way to organise what you are already observing — and the language to start a professional conversation when one is needed. It is not a diagnosis. It is a guide.
What Lumos Milestones Does
Lumos Milestones is a free, web-based suite of observation guides for parents and carers of children aged 0 to 12. It does not diagnose. It does not screen. It helps you see patterns more clearly and decide whether a professional conversation is the right next step.
Observe
Answer straightforward questions about what you typically see in your child on their normal days — not their best or worst.
Understand
Receive one of three plain-language pathway results — Keep Going, Keep Watching, or Seek a Conversation — with clear guidance on what to do next.
Act
Get the language and confidence to start a conversation with your child's teacher, GP, or health visitor — without needing a diagnosis first.
Seven Observation Guides
Start with M1 if you are not sure where to begin. Each guide takes around 10–15 minutes and covers a specific area of development. You do not need to complete all seven — only the ones that feel relevant to what you are noticing.
General Development Tracker
A broad overview across five key areas of development from birth to age 12. Start here if you are not sure where to begin.
Social Communication
Observing patterns in how your child connects, communicates, and interacts with others.
Attention
Tracking focus, concentration, and activity levels across different settings and situations.
Speech & Language
Noting how your child develops language, communication, and whether any skills have changed over time.
Sensory Processing
Understanding how your child responds to sounds, textures, environments, and sensory experiences.
Learning
Observing how your child engages with reading, writing, and learning in school and at home.
Behaviour & Emotions
Tracking emotional regulation, responses to change, and behavioural patterns in daily life.
Planning & Organising
Noting how your child manages tasks, routines, and the executive skills that underpin daily life.
Three Clear Pathways
At the end of each guide, you will receive one of three results. None of them is a diagnosis. All of them are a starting point.
Keep Going
Your responses do not suggest particular concerns in this area right now. Patterns are broadly in the expected range for your child's age.
Keep Watching
You have noticed some patterns worth paying attention to. Note what you are observing and mention it at your child's next health or school visit.
Seek a Conversation
You have noticed several patterns worth discussing with a professional. This is not a diagnosis — it means a professional conversation is the right next step.
These results are based entirely on your own observations. They are not a clinical assessment or a test result. They are a structured way of organising what you already know about your child.
Help Us Get This Right
Lumos Milestones is currently in early preview. We are working with a small group of parents, carers, and practitioners to test the guides and gather feedback before a wider launch. If you have concerns about your child's development — or simply want to explore what the guides offer — we would love to hear from you.