Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 1
A specialised centre for Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities was inaugurated at the CIHSR today. A brainchild of Dr. Y. Simpson, incharge of the unit, who is also the head of Development Paediatrics at the CIHSR informed that the centre (Precious Gems’ School) will dedicate its expertise to training children with special needs and their parents/caregivers.
It was inaugurated by LK Varte, Assistant Director, Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped, Guwahati, Assam.
Dr. Simpson said that the centre will be managed by a team of experts which includes special teachers, psychologist, counsellor, paediatrician, orthopaedician, eye specialist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist and speech therapist.
“All the facilities including medical facilities will be available under one roof at a nominal price. That is the uniqueness of this centre,” said Dr. Simpson.
It can diagnose and follow up with the requisite care and training regimen for a number of conditions such as Intellectual Disabilities, autism, Specific Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, cerebral palsy etc.
While stating that the centre can take in 10-20 children at present, Dr. Simpson revealed his dream of turning it into a full-fledged centre. As part of that dream, an Infant Stimulation Programme will be started within 3 months, while a playground designed to the needs of the centre will be added soon. “My dream is to develop a team of trained personnel made up of locals, who will run the centre after I leave. In due course, we’re planning to start training course for therapists.”
According to Dr. Simpson, who has a Ph.D in Special Education with 32 years of working experience at CMC, Vellore, most parents have little or no idea of how to take care of children with special needs. Such children would show subtle or clear signs of disability either intellectual or developmental; in most cases oblivious to the people around them.
Raising concern at the same time citing his own observation, he said that he has noticed children with various kinds of disabilities in his visits to a number of schools in Dimapur during the past year.
Meanwhile, CIHSR Director, Dr. Abraham Joseph, informed that the hospital has acquired special wheelchairs for people with physical disability. The wheelchairs specifically designed according to the needs of the disability are available at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) unit of the hospital at discounted rates. The special wheelchairs, according to Dr. Joseph were acquired in partnership with Motivation India. The PMR unit has two full-time trainers, who assist people visiting the centre.
