The pandemic has led to further deteriorating the condition of special needs children. DR ANIL SHARMA shares tips that can help not only the children but their parents too
India has the most number of children with developmental disabilities (about 1.15 crore) out of 195 countries surveyed according to a 2018 study by the medical journal The Lancet. These are children with physical, mental, or emotional difficulties who require constant care and check on their progress in order to get better. Fast forward to 2020, the pandemic has taken a hit on the lives of everyone in the world and has resulted in these children losing out on education and regular skill development therapy sessions.
The COVID-19 has confined people to their homes. Work-from-home and social distancing have become the new normal. While people, in general, are feeling mentally exhausted, the pandemic has led to further deteriorating the condition of special needs children.
Social skills and interaction are one of the hardest for these children and no outdoor exposure has added to the struggle. Professional in-person therapy has seen a drastic decline as therapy centres have remained closed for months and even now as they are gradually reopening, parents are choosing to continue with virtual therapy sessions in fear of contracting the virus.
However, the world has adapted to the new norms and soon will the children, with their parent’s support and active involvement in helping them adjust to the current circumstances. The best pedagogy in such difficult times is to adapt and implement a model where the parent become the child’s co-therapist and keep them engaged as much as possible to encourage skill development.
It’s time we go digital: Digital has become the reality of the world during the pandemic. Enabling the child with digital practices and actively getting involved with them can improve their condition immensely. These online therapy sessions not only help children but also help parents to learn and work with the children themselves.
Focusing on mildly challenging activities: These times have already put a lot of burden on children. Losing on social engagement, outdoor games and proper training has led to a lot of children experiencing angry outbursts, disruption in the routine, and negative impact on their health. To ensure that the child is coping the right way, focusing on mildly challenging activities that are not too demanding can be of great help.
It’s important to stimulate the child cognitively at all times. From activities as simple as sorting, matching, pattern building to complex cognitive tasks, depending on the potential of the child, something should definitely be included in the child’s daily intervention plan in some way or the other.
Build on already developed strengths: A parent should also focus on coping better with their own stress and continuing to build the strengths of their child. This will not only help them get better while staying at home but will also make sure there is not too much pressure on the child when they get back to regular therapy.
The writer is Clinical Director at Mom’s Belief