Developmental Challenges

Dr Pradnya Gadgil, Consultant Paediatric Neurology and Complex Epilepsy explains the causes and complexities of childhood epilepsy, how it differs from adult epilepsy, the relationship of seizures with sleep and more.  What is childhood epilepsy? How does it differ from epilepsy in adults? Epilepsy is a tendency to experience recurrent seizures- without a specific trigger. For example, seizures people experience after a head injury or with low sugar/ low calcium (in babies) do not…

PatientsEngage held a webinar recently on ‘Dads can make a difference to emotional well-being of a special needs family’ with three well-informed and articulate fathers as panellists sharing their experiences, understanding and insights. We bring you some interesting highlights. Fathers with children on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience many challenges of parenting. Though their involvement may be less as compared to mothers, they still need to play an integral and important role in…

Alisha Lalljee, Special Educator and Counselling Psychotherapist, feels teenagers with special needs have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown as they struggle with schedule disruptions, discontinuation of therapies and issues of anxiety and sometimes aggression. Young adolescents and teenagers with special needs and disabilities have been affected severely by the Covid-19 lockdown. They are in a frazzled state – aware of coronavirus, though not always fully understanding the…

Autistic couple, Angel and Rekha, married for three years, share a warm and compassionate relationship,in contradiction to the belief that love and marriage are considered incompatible for people on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Read his mother Sunita Arora’s perspective. Theirs is a dream relationship on the autism spectrum disorder.With oodles of love and emotion shared between the two, they have built a beautifully innocent world for themselves. I am very happy that my son, Angel, is…

Ranjana Pandey is the mother of Devika Pandey, a confident woman who knows her own mind. On Down’s Syndrome day, the mother recounts how her daughter, despite living with a condition, learnt to develop her own mind and the family’s pro active contribution towards it. What is the kind of independence you encourage in your daughter? To plan her day, to spend her time the way she wants to, to watch television, listen to music, choose her clothes, her style, her hair cut. Unfortunately she was…

Shalini Gupta talks about her teenage daughter Gayatri, a person with Down’s Syndrome, who has grown up to be an independent young lady because her parents have always given her freedom within limits, something that Gayatri has learnt to appreciate. Gayatri is also an avid and a successful photographer. What is the kind of independence you encourage in your daughter? Gayatri is a teenager at 18 years of age. But boy, is she independent!! Most people who get to know her understand what a…

Avelino de Sa, from Goa, who was born with cerebral palsy, was predicted to live only for five years. But determination shows us that everything is possible, despite setbacks. Today, at 47, he is inspiring others with disability to push themselves to the limit. Please could you tell us a bit about your condition? I was born with cerebral palsy which is a disability caused due to brain damage to that part of the brain which affects the muscles and movements of the body. How was your childhood?…

Linish Balan, 37 who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome as an adult, introspects on the bittersweet memories of his growing up years and provides a firsthand and objective perspective on parenting. Since childhood I knew that I was different from other children. But I didn't know how I was different or why I was different. I was born and grew up in a family which had no awareness about Asperger's Syndrome. I think they, including my mother, still don't have any. This is a small attempt to…

Devanshi Joshi, 26 from Delhi is now working for nearly 7 years. She is the first employee of Future Group - Big Bazaar with Down Syndrome. She has been feted many times. She does a video interview on her professional experience.  Devanshi has won many recognitions like Stree Udhyami Award, Presidential National Award as Best Employee, Down Syndrome Federation of India Award as Role Model and Self Advocate, MindTree-NCPEDP Helen Keller Award, many felicitations, among others.  Read an…

Devanshi was born with Down’s Syndrome, but that did not stop her from trying out every opportunity that came her way, says Devanshi’s father, Anil Joshi Please tell us how and when Devanshi was diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome? Diagnosis was done immediately after birth by looking at physical features. It was later confirmed by blood test Karyotyping where the presence of 47 chromosomes gets confirmed. Down’s Syndrome is a condition and NOT a Disease. Persons with Down’s Syndrome ARE NOT…