Early intervention Centre - AAKAR

Vatsalya Trust Mumbai    03-Mar-2020
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REHABILITATION CENTRE (RC) 

Early intervention Centre - AAKAR

Vatsalya Trust has started ‘Aakar – Early Intervention Centre’ on 26th June 2005 for the children who are in age group of 0-10 years. Many newborn children are at risk of delayed development either physical or mental or both. This may happen due to various reasons or factors during the mother’s pregnancy, complications at the time of delivery or after the delivery of the child.

Early intervention for such high-risk babies play a crucial role in reducing the delay in development and achieve all the milestones appropriately. It helps the child to live near-normal life in future. As said ‘STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE’.

We help the child with

  • Motor delay
  • Sensory issues
  • Communication disorder
  • Congenital /perceptual disorder

Objectives

Our objectives are

  • to facilitate the normal development of the child
  • to prevent or reduce the disability
  • a complete rehabilitation at a physical, cognitive, social and emotional level

 The above objectives are achieved by providing Occupational Therapy, special education, and speech Therapy, through

·        Well qualified team of professionals

·        Advance techniques, aids and equipment for therapies

·        Workshops for parents and professionals

 

OCCUPATIONAL  THERAPY

Everyone has an occupation or job.   A kid's occupation is to grow, to learn, do schoolwork, and play.

Main focus of Occupational Therapy is on Physical and Cognitive development of a child.

Physical development: mainly related to muscle, joint, postural alignment, balance, gait, etc. splintage is also given if necessary

Cognitive development related to understanding, body awareness means self-awareness, social, communication etc.

Occupational therapy (or OT) helps kids who have a physical, sensory, or cognitive disability to carry out everyday activities like brushing their teeth or wearing clothes or putting on shoes and socks.

Occupational therapy helps children with special needs be as independent as possible or aids a kid who's returning to school after a long illness or severe injury.

Some occupational therapists help kids To create alternate ways to play popular games they might miss out on because of their illness or injury. Many work with kids who need help with their handwriting or in developing learning strategies to help them remain focused in class and get their homework done.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Intervention after 1 and a half year of life.

Focus mainly on cognitive concepts, picture recognition, picture reading, pre-writing skill, social skills, communications, pre academics, academics.

Special Education is that component of education which focus mainly on cognitive concepts,

Picture recognition, picture reading, pre-writing skill, social skills, communications, pre academics, academics.

It employs special instructional methodology (Remedial Instruction), instructional materials, learning-teaching aids and equipment to meet the educational needs of children with specific learning disabilities and difficulties. Remedial instruction or Remediation aims at improving a skill or ability in a student. Techniques for remedial instruction may include providing more practice or more explanation, repeating information, and devoting more time to working on the skill.

SPEECH  THERAPY

Intervention at around 1st year of life.

They deal with speech and language development with the help of audiovisual aids

Speech Therapy focuses on receptive language, or the ability to understand words spoken to you, and expressive language, or the ability to use words to express yourself.

Visiting the Speech Therapist:

Research highlights the importance of early intervention, very often the Speech and Language Therapist will be involved with early intervention. This will sometimes involve direct work with your child and at timed will involve working with you on strategies to support his/her communication.

Approaches, which may be introduced to this age group, may include:

  • Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
  • Non-directive Language Therapy (Special Times)
  • Early group work
  • Introduction of the TEACCH approach
  • Structured language programmes
  • Increasing predictability
  • Emerging literacy
  • Ways to Enrich Language

Play Activities- Some play activities lend themselves to enhanced language interactions. Games, dramatic play, block play, songs, and stories can all be focal points- with the adult being the catalyst for productive communication.

Self-care Activities- Waiting in line to use the sink or bathroom is a perfect opportunity to enrich the language. Tell stories, makeup rhyming words, sing the alphabet song while you wait, count fingers, toes, or the number of children, and talk about colours.

Eating Activities- So much conversation can happen around an eating activity. Sitting around a table with other children as an adult peels an orange, cuts an apple, or divides portions can be powerful language stimuli. A conversation about sizes, shapes, colours, favourite foods-any number of topics are natural topics of conversation.

Classroom Activities- Reading books, acting out familiar stories, making rhymes, singing songs, having children makeup stories and "write" books are not new activities, but they certainly promote language and speech.

 

FAQs  Aakar :

Who Needs Occupational Therapy?

The kids who have difficulty developing regular physical mental milestones, performing everyday activities like dressing, tying shoes, feeding themselves, paying attention, writing, drawing, or colouring in the lines.

Occupational therapists also may help children with autism learn how to interact with others or might help kids with sensory processing disorders to learn ways to interact with their environment in a more comfortable and appropriate way.

An occupational therapist also refers aids and equipment like slings or splints to provide support to different parts of the body. They can help you find devices that make it easier to do things like opening a jar, putting your shoes on, or eating and grooming.

How Long Will My Treatment Last?

Because occupational therapy is unique to each person and every kid learns at his or her own speed, treatment may last a short time or a long time. Some kids find their needs change as they get older or change schools. They return to the occupational therapist to figure out new ways of coping with problems or to master a new skill.

Kids can help speed up treatment by following the instructions of their occupational therapist. It's important to work hard and practice on your own. Some activities or exercises may look weird but they all have a purpose. If you want to know why your occupational therapist has you doing a specific action, ask, "Why are we doing this, and how will it help me?"

And with time and lots of practice, you will see all that hard work pay off.

When does a child need special education?

Early identification of a child with special needs is an important part of a special educator. Early intervention is essential in educating children with disabilities

Special educators at Aakar work with kids with mentally challenged or autism, primarily teaching them life skills and basic literacy.

with children with mild to moderate disabilities, using the general education curriculum, or modifying it, to meet the child's individual needs.

To provide programs for specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments. Students are classified under one of the categories, and special education teachers are prepared to work with specific groups.

How do special educators work?

Special educators use various techniques to promote learning. Depending on the disability, teaching methods can include individualized instruction,

Problem-solving assignments and small group work.

Special educators help to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each special student. The IEP sets personalized goals for each student and is tailored to the student's individual needs and ability.

Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their child's progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home.

They are involved in the students' behavioural, social, and academic development, helping the students develop emotionally, feel comfortable in social situations, and be aware of socially acceptable behaviour.

 Special educators communicate and work together with parents, social workers, school psychologists, speech therapists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.

Who Needs Speech Therapy?

A Child with a speech disorder is any condition that affects a child's ability to speak. Articulation (mispronunciation) problems and stuttering are examples of speech disorders.

Here's a list of terms commonly used to describe speech and language problems:

Receptive language is a child's understanding of the information she receives-through spoken, signed (if she is deaf), or written communication. An example of receptive language is when after being asked, "Where's the kitty?" a young child looks around and points to the family's cat.

Expressive language is a child's ability-through words, sign language, gestures, or by written word-to communicate with other people.

Speech is the most common way of expression. A child's questions, information, and feelings are communicated through speech. Delays in this area may be due to physical or mental disabilities, or the child's environment.