Did you know that a common activity like pigeon feeding can lead to chronic and sometimes fatal lung diseases? Senior Pulmonologist Dr Prahlad Prabhudesai answers our questions on health hazards caused by pigeons.
Can you imagine going to the park to feed rats? But, we often see people readily feeding pigeons. Scientific evidence reveals that pigeons can be equally hazardous to our health as rodents are. Due to readily available food (provided by humans), there is a marked increase in the…
Children's books are instrumental in shaping early thoughts and perceptions. Chitra Paul, mom to a teenager on the autism spectrum painstakingly lists 20 Indian books that feature children and young adults with disability. Books that must be read by every child. As a child I don’t remember reading very many books with Indian characters or even those that featured disabled characters. The few books with Indian characters or stories about India were those by Ruskin Bond or Amar Chitra Katha comic…
Hvovi Bhagwagar, a clinical psychologist who works a lot of persons with Bipolar Disorder and their families, puts the spotlight on challenges faced by the family caregivers and what they can do to help the persons with Bipolar Disorder as well as themselves. Arman is a 32-year-old social activist. He is well-respected for his many welfare activities. Diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder in his teens, his life has been a constant internal struggle. His parents, one of whom was diagnosed…- Announcing the next webinar in our ‘Living Better’ series and focus at the early stages of Parkinson's Disease. In partnership with PDMDS. This session will cover how patients dealt with their diagnosis, the various activities they engage in, the challenges posed due to their symptoms, changes in lifestyle, how it affects relationships, and perspectives in life. We speak with persons with Parkinsons and Head of therapy & research at the PDMDS on strategies and activities that help manage…
Diana Tholoor, a Movement and Theatre trainer and Director of Plays recently worked with a cast of 50 children and young adults on the autism spectrum to mount a production of Jungle Book on stage. She shares her perspective in the second part of this interview series. 1. Why theatre? How does theatre help children and adults on the autism spectrum? Theatre is an integrated art form that produces simultaneous results through a single production. Amongst the many alternate…
Losing someone to suicide can be traumatic. Nyana Sabharwal, who lost her mother to suicide, co-founded We Hear You, a support group for those bereaved by suicide loss, as an important way to heal, cope and overcome grief. You have set up a unique and distinct peer support group for those bereaved by suicide loss. Could you tell us a little about it? ‘We Hear You’ was set up a year ago to help people who are experiencing bereavement by suicide loss to have a safe space to talk about their…
Although the right to health care of any kind has become a legal provision for the first time in India, implementing the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) is still challenging to all stakeholders. Sign the petition to bridge the mental health care gap. Contributed by Mariwala Health Initiative What is the Mental Health Care Gap? If one goes by global statistics, then one in four of us will at some point be affected by a mental health issue in our lifetime. India’s National Mental Health Survey (…
The patient-led Lupus Trust India is creating a holistic support network for Lupus patients in India. As they prepare for awareness campaigns for World Lupus Day, watch this space for the resources they are putting together. Contributed by Suzanne Sangi Ask any Lupus patient in India how they felt right after their diagnosis, and you’re sure to hear them say “It’s the first time I heard about Lupus” or “It felt like I was the only one”. Why? Because in India, nobody talks about this…
Sarbani Mukherjee Mallick Founder & Executive Director at Bubbles Centre for Autism in a detailed interview on the experience and learnings of putting together a full fledged stage production of Jungle Book with a cast of 50 children and young adults on the autism spectrum. Part 1 of a 2 part series. Why theatre? How does theatre help children and adults on the autism spectrum? One of the major challenges for children on the autism spectrum disorder is social skills. I use to…
