If a six-months old child fails to look at his or her mother eye-to-eye, if a one-year old child is unable to say a single word and if a two-year old child is unable to utter at least two words, there is something to worry about. These, Joseph Sunny, Consultant Occupational Therapist says can be corrected with putting the child through proper therapy and counselling the parents in the right direction.
“At least five out of one-hundred children are born with speech, language, learning or behavioural disorder. This when identified can be corrected.” says Dr. Punitha Joe, General Psychologist. One such centre that aims at identifying and correcting such disorders in children, Enfance, Centre for Child Development, was inaugurated in Saibaba Colony in Coimbatore this morning Dr. A Ganapathi, Vice-Chancellor, Bharathiar University and Dr. Edwin Joe, Dean, Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) did the inauguration.
“Enfance is a multidisciplinary child development centre providing clinical, therapeutic and educational services for children with development disorders like speech delay, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, sensory processing disorder, behavioural disorder and learning disability.” Joseph Sunny says.
Seconding him is Sharanya Shanmugaraja, MASLP Speech Pathologist and Audiologist who shares “Through the various services like occupation therapy, behavioural therapy, sensory integration therapy, psychological services, speech therapy, special education, physiotherapy and neuro development therapy we aim at the holistic development of the child. Depending on the severity of the trouble that the child is facing, the therapies are tailor-made for each child and the parents and family including, grand-parents and siblings of the child are offered counselling.” Sharanya says.
One of the reasons for an increasing number of children developing such disorders is sedentary lifestyle. Children are hooked onto gadgets these days. They do not play in the open. Joseph advices parents to ensure that their children do not depend on gadgets as much as the children currently do. Secondly, he shares that parents must strictly allow their children to do one activity at one time. Quoting examples he shares “A majority of parents allow their children to eat a meal before the television. This distracts the child. The child must either eat a meal or watch television. Moreover, a girl or a boy must be able to carry out her or his routine activities by the age of six. If a parent notices that something is amiss with their child, without hesitation and without waiting any time, parents must seek the help of a specialist. ”
Sharanya is the main consultant while Joseph serves as visiting consultant at Enfance. For appointments with Enfance centre for child development call 98653-53153 or 90251-90005. This centre functions from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm.