Developmental Challenges

Inclov is a match making app which is not only inclusive in its approach, but actually has successfully managed to bring together a number of people with disabilities. Shankar Srinivasan, one of the founders of the app, talks about this initiative which is growing from strength to strength. Inclov is an interesting concept. How did it come about? The original idea came from my co-founder, Kalyani. We liked the concept of match making per se. In 2014 we started the venture as a match making…

Joan's wish is straightforward: "My ultimate wish for Nat is for her to happy and independent, where she doesn’t need financial aid from me or my husband, is able to stand on her own and isn’t a liability to anyone else." Joan, in conversation with SPD Singapore, answers 10 questions on bringing up Natania, who has autism spectrum disorder and shares with us her biggest hurdle to date and what keeps her going. Q1: You are Natania’s biggest supporter. How did you face her condition early on? I…

Tamahar not only tries to develop the children with various activities, it also brings the family, the primary caregivers, into its fold to help them grow and learn with the children. Vaishali Pai is a visionary and an experienced occupational therapist who set up the Tamahar Trust in 2009 to help children with special needs find their own little spaces in this world. She shares how she would like Tamahar to reach out to more children in future. Tell us briefly the thoughts behind forming…

Indrajeet Patil's research shows people with autism also have their share of empathy for others’ well being, contrary to common beliefs. In fact, they are believed to go through a lot of personal distress at the prospect of anyone being harmed.  PatientsEngage with inputs from Akila Vaidyanathan interviewed SISSA researcher Indrajeet Patil on his research: Can you tell us about the study in brief. Traditionally, there have been two common myths about autism that have flourished in the…

Leroy Lim's film "I Believe" narrates a personal encounter between a person with autism and a youth leader. Does it lead to friendship and inclusion in the group?  Find out more. The film "I Believe" was part of the Temasek Short Film Project 20/20 in Singapore.  It is an accurate portrayal of persons with autism and their interactions with people they meet. It is based on a personal encounter the student from Lasalle, Singapore had with an autistic teenager. As Leroy Lim mused…

Linesh, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, writes an interesting, insightful piece on how conversation skills and small talk can sometimes be a big challenge for ‘Aspies’ like himself. Linesh works with children with Autism as a special educator at the Spastic Society of Karnataka. Why do I, like so many other Aspies, find small talk so painfully difficult? For some, the greater problem is a lack of conversational skills. This was definitely the case with me when I was a teenager.…

Linish, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, lauds the Drama for Autism course conducted by Dr. Parasuram Ramamoorthi’s organization, Velvi, and stresses the benefits of theatre for improving social competence in people with autism spectrum disorders. When I was leaving my Drama school without finishing my Masters in Theatre Arts, my Professor Shibu S Kottaram asked, “Why don’t you go and meet Dr. Parasuram Ramamoorthi? He is a well-known theatre person who is working with individuals with Autism. He…

On World Cerebral Palsy Day, we speak to Joyeeta Sen, a senior special educator and Priti Salunkhe, a senior neurodevelopment therapist with Ummeed Child Development Center regarding child development and learning for children with the condition. What is the average age of a child with CP when first brought in? At Ummeed children with Cerebral Palsy varies anywhere from 3 years to 10 years but the average age would be between 3-4years. However, as part of early detection and early intervention…

Bhavna Botta, a young serial entrepreneur with cerebral palsy, had her dream project, Saahaagika, an exclusive boutique for ahimsa silk, washed away in the recent rains and floods in Chennai. Broken but not beaten, she looks for strength, motivation and new avenues to start afresh. Could you tell us a bit about your journey and how you became an entrepreneur? I finished my high school from Vidya Sagar and went on to do higher secondary from Lady Andal Matriculation School, Chennai and then…

and other annoying questions that parents of children with disabilities do not want to hear. Ruchika Sethi Takkar, a mother who is raising a daughter with multiple challenges, helps you out by sharing the 13 most awkward questions that she has encountered. She also has a tip. Living with Manavi as her partner, communicator, mood reader, therapist and, aha...yes, mama, I have learnt to be extra perceptive of the world around me. Till 14 years ago, a social interaction with a stranger meant…