Moving ahead with Special Needs.

Being a parent is very overwhelming experience, it is a never-ending journey of joy, happiness, efforts, love and care. But, if you realize that your child is little less than normal the immediate moment you get surrounded by complex feelings shock, numbness, sadness, denial, blame, fear, confusion, rejection and grief. However, we should Keep in touch with reality and maintain a positive attitude throughout. Your love towards your child will eventually transform and heal your heart and will give you a hope for bright future and will always keep you moving.

Life teaches us at every moment to move on forward without looking backwards. And in the process of living, learning and realization are two things each and every one procures from …their own and others life well. I have been realizing that life at times seem to be too unjust to few people but I guess they are the strongest of us all as they are fighting a silent battle within themselves. Life of children and adults with special needs can be frustrating and sometimes it can be significantly important to get a little pick-me-up to keep from getting discouraged. There are many ups and downs in life and we all need some inspiration to keep us headed in the right direction.

The fact to understand here is a complex phenomenon which exhibits the interaction between features of a person’s body inadequacies/Special needs and limitations and features of the society in which he or she lives. Love, Compassion, sympathy, apathy, technological interventions and the transition between them will help us, families, society at large to create a strong supportive environment to keep us all moving ahead in life in a healthy manner.

Special Needs Education

Children with Special needs or who are differently abled require a specific way of dealing in all walks of life. Education is no different. These children find it very difficult to get accommodated in the traditional set ups & curriculum.  Hence, education modules should be so defined and designed taking into consideration such a child's needs and limitations. Thus, Special Education or special needs education is nothing but ways to the educated children whose learning needs cannot be met by a standard school curriculum. Within this stream of education, the child is involved using individually planned teaching procedures such as Special instructional methodology, techniques and materials and is monitored by a trained professional in a comfortable setting to ensure the comfort of the child. Also, adaptive equipment's and methods such as audio, visual, tactile (touch) and kin-aesthetic (by doing) may be used.

 As it is rightly said "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn". Special needs institutions aim to promote the level of personal self-sufficiency in the lives of children to make them more successful. One such schools we are aware of is, SAARTHI School for Special Children in Mumbai. It is a Non-profit organization which provides academic, vocational, medical and psychological support to the exceptional children especially those coming from the lower socio-economic strata. SAARTHI aspires to provide integrated care to the exceptional children of all sections of society. To name a few more are ADAPT, Apang Maitree , Aseema School, Dilkhush Special School , Kshithij etc.

It has only been over the past years that special needs education has been gaining impetus in India and educational facilities provided to children with disabilities have grown gradually. These ones range from development of special schools to Inclusive education in the traditional setup. But have we given it the importance it deserves? Or Have taken the necessary steps to ensure that children with special needs are given the best education and trained on how to venture forth into the real world?

Summer Care for Children with Special Need.

India being sub-tropical country, summers are generally harsh & very humid. And almost everyone hates this and the heat makes everyone extremely uncomfortable; particularly this   time of May as heat & humidity are at its peak all around the country. Growing pollution & less greenery adds to our irritation. Adults are generally cranky throughout owing to discomfort however heat exposure is a cumbersome issue for children as their bodies are more vulnerable especially children with special needs like Cerebral Palsy wherein a child has limited mobility or is immobile.

Children with special needs often find it very difficult to communicate. Thus, keen observation about the symptoms of overheat/ temperature is needed by the guardian /parent. If you observe symptoms such as sleeplessness, excessive irritation, dryness in mouth, dull skin, dislike towards food, loose motions, vomiting, nausea, stomach aches, cramps, giddiness etc immediately consultant your pediatrician.  Over heat exposure, excessive dehydration, exhaustion can be extremely detrimental to the health of children. It may also prove fatal.

Take following precautions for enabling Children with Special needs to lead a healthy summer:

• Wear light clothing: Wear light clothes of heat friendly fabrics such as cotton so that your child feels comfortable. Full sleeves clothing will help you protect from sunburns.
• Avoid getting out from 10 am to 4 pm: Schedule the doctor’s appointment or therapy session for your child accordingly.
• Adequate Ventilation in the room: See to it that your child stays in a room where air is getting circulated properly.
• Sponge your child if he/she can’t move or give then bath before bed.
• Stay hydrated/Drink enough fluids: In summer, the body loses more water so everyone needs need to drink enough water. Avoid carbonated drinks as they make one even thirstier. The healthy choices could be coconut water, lemonade and fresh fruit juices.
•  Use Cooling mattress, cooling pillow or other helpful ‘temperature’ inserts which are made up of specific materials that promote temperature control
• Never leave your child alone in a car.

Other general summer Health Care tips such as vaccination, maintenance of hygiene, appropriate diet, use of sun screen etc.  have been shared in our earlier blog. General summer healthcare tips remain same for all and they work for all. However, a special care must be taken as the special need child can face prolonged health challenges even brain damage.