Spastics Society of Karnataka offers all relevant support for rehabilitation of children with neurological and developmental disabilities.

Developmental Therapy Services include

• Developmental Therapy (Physical / Occupational / Sensory Integration)

• Speech and Language and Hearing

The range of services include - assessments and early intervention with home-based programmes for children below seven years of age; assessments and intervention for children between 8 yrs and 16 yrs for emotional or academic concerns/learning difficulties, physiotherapy, speech, and language therapy.

Developmental Therapy Services

A team of physiotherapists and occupational therapists provide developmental therapeutic services to children, adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, handwriting problems, progressive neurological disorders, sensory dysfunctions, and other developmental coordination problems.

Our aim is to

• To enable persons with disabilities to become as independent as possible.

• To empower parents, family, and community to incorporate therapy in the child’s natural environment.

Assessments

• Motor and Sensory Development of infants

  • Babies from birth to 3 years are assessed for delayed development or any other movement problems.

  • Days: Tuesday and Friday

  • Timings: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

• Physical and Functional Assessment

  • Children above 3 years diagnosed with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, progressive cerebellar ataxia, psycho motor delays and other neuro-developmental disabilities are assessed in the areas of gross motor development, fine motor development, sensory dysfunctions, activities of daily living and mobility.

• Sensory Profile

  • Children from 8 months and above are assessed for sensory dysfunctions. Children with autism spectrum disorders, children with hyperactivity, children with hand writing problems and other sensory dysfunctions are assessed.

• Hand Function Assessment

  • For children between two years to adulthood for identifying the ability of the child to use his/her hands for play, in school (writing and coloring activities, using computers etc.), for pre-vocational and vocational activities related to future job training programmes.

• Seating assessment

  • Assessment for adequate seating like customized chairs, wheelchairs or adapted potty seats are done for all children with developmental disabilities.

• Home Visit

  • Therapists visit home with the team members to assess the child’s physical and functional abilities at home. The necessity for adaptations to encourage independence and management at home is assessed.

• Access Audit

  • This is done to assess the accessibility of the work place for a disabled child in order to modify and adapt the work area to make it suitable for easy mobility and optimal functioning of the person with the disability in the office.

Follow up Programmes

• Infant Stimulation Programme

In this intensive therapy programme, parents are given guidance on stimulation and handling babies with developmental delays. Therapeutic techniques are demonstrated individually to the parent and a weekly follow up service is provided. For parents who have difficulty in carrying out the programme at home, therapy sessions are provided on a more frequent basis depending on the need which would be assessed by the concerned therapist.

• Days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday.

• Timings: 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM

• Saturday- For working parents who cannot bring their children on other working days (fixed after parental interview only)

• This facility is also available at our Sub-Centre at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, South Hospital Complex, Honbegowda Nagar Bangalore. For appointment and details contact OPD, 1st Floor, Room No. 9.

Follow up therapy programme for children from 3 years and above

• Individual Therapy

Sessions are provided with an aim to enable independent mobility, adapted seating, prevention of contractures and deformities, postoperative therapy, independence in self-care, parent training in handling and using therapy techniques at home.

• Group Therapy

Sensory perceptual activities are selected and children are provided an opportunity to move confidently through the chosen play activity once a week.

Busy Bees Various creative hand activities are performed under the guidance of therapists once a week for children attending the school.

• Sensory Integrative Therapy Approach

Occupational therapists provide this therapeutic approach in order to enable children to optimally play, perform in school and carry out activities of daily living independently. Individual sessions are provided based on need followed by parental training in carrying out therapy techniques at home along with guidance to school teachers are provided.

• Center-based Services

Therapy assistants under the guidance of physiotherapists and occupational therapists provide three-day center based programme for the severely disabled children in the age group of seven and above where children are provided sensory motor activities including outdoor activities. Caregivers and parents are guided on providing these activities as well.

• Home-based Services

Weekly service provided for severely disabled children. Occupational therapists and physiotherapists along with therapy assistants visit homes to provide the family, therapy inputs, techniques and adaptations in equipment for handling and management of the child.

Speech, Language, and Hearing

The Speech, Language, and Hearing unit of Spastics Society of Karnataka provides assessment and intervention for children presenting with various speech, language and hearing concerns associated with neurological and developmental conditions.

Objectives of the Unit

The Unit aims to reduce deficits and provide skill training to children with developmental delays in order to promote development.

Services Provided

• Assessments

• Developmental Assessment

• ENT screening for various disorders (every fortnight)

• Audiological screening for various disorders and informal APD assessments are done

• And further referrals are given for other various audiological evaluations like BERA and formal APD assessments.

Home Management Unit

This unit strives to help the child up to 7 years of age to develop as an individual within the Home Environment, using the parents and the Family as active partners in the child’s rehabilitation program.

Special Needs Children (Client Profile)

• Children below the age of seven years who have been diagnosed with neuromuscular and developmental delays, at risk for delays, preschool children who are at risk for learning difficulties.

• Children of any age group diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy or any other neuromuscular disabilities.

Follow-up Programs

• Special Education Programmes customized for children attending schools-appropriate to developmental stage of the child.

• Individual and Group Training for children aged between one year and 6 years. Training is held one to five days a week, depending on the child's needs.

• Home Based Training for children, one year to 14 years and for outstation families. Schedule of intervention is once in 1/2/3 month depending on the parent’s convenience and the child's needs.

• Guidance for appropriate school placement of the child.

• Parent Training, Parent Counselling, Parent Workshops and Centre-Based Intervention.