Perhaps Shama Foundation is the only special school in the country which has facility of Aqua-Therapy for the differently abled children.
Myself being a Physiotherapist have a very fond memory working in Shama Foundation. Working with differently abled children gives a combination of fun and challenges. It also gives us life’s so many lessons to learn. I wonder how that simple smile never fade from cerebral palsy kids I use to treat. In many ways these children are also a special children.
Who are differently abled children?
Differently abled or disability is defined as limitation of a person’s ability to carry out the activities of daily living, to the extent that he or she may need help in doing so. The American Disabilities Act of 1990 defines disability, as ‘physical or a mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of life abilities’.
Such impairment may include physical (such as Cerebral Palsy), sensory and cognitive or intellectual impairment. Mental disorders, such as Autism, mental retardation psychiatric disability considered as disabilities.
What’s so special about Special School.
Differently abled children are very different from normal kids. If you remember Aamir Khan starred “Taare Zameen Par”, that kid in the movie have problem grasping the subject and hence writing it on paper. He has a peculiar pattern of writing certain alphabets though it was not correct. Needs of these kind of kids are very different and so do the process of teaching and learning.
Shama Foundation or any other special school has special educator who are specially trained to teach such kids.
Not only this, a special school has a team of professional from various discipline working in co-ordination to take care of every aspect these differently able kids.
These professional makes a team:
- Special educator: They are teachers trained on special education.
- Physiotherapist: For taking care of physical disability.
- Occupational Therapist: For taking care of physical, neurological and training of activity daily living.
- Speech Therapist: Treatment of speech related disability.
- Prosthetics and Orthotics: Catering the need of orthotic or splint support wherever needed.
- Paediatrician: To take care of medical related problem.
- Psychological Counselor: For providing psychological counselling.
- Vocational Trainer: To train the kids with vocation skill so that it may help the earn livelihood when they grow up.
The Shama Foundation:
It was during the year 2007-2008 when I was working as Physiotherapist in Shama Foundation. We had well co-ordinated team of the entire above described professional.
1. Well equipped spacious class room:
Furniture specially designed to accommodate their physical problems. Every possible facility for learning, like:- activity with crayons, water colours, brushes, creative thumb/finger painting, vegetable painting, cards. Also many educational toys.
2. Separate room for Physiotherapy and occupational therapy:
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With all possible equipment such as couch, bolster, rolls, standing frame, balance board, trampoline.
3. Sensory integration room
4. Speech therapy chamber.
5. A vast green play ground for outdoor activity:
Outdoor activity helps these kids to improve physically and mentally in a fun way.
It was also a period of break for we school staff when we all engage our self with these kids. Activities like playing cricket and football, climbing the ladder and most special was playing on mud water.
6. A clean and safe swimming pool:
Swimming pool for Aqua therapy what makes Shama Foundation stand above out of the rest.
My experience in Aqua-Therapy is difficult to express in words. I used to wait for the day when swimming pool was made open for it. Kids were taught swimming, walking and many more activity taking care of all the safety measures. Describing the benefit of Aqua Therapy is beyond the scope of this article.
Some of the touchy moments on slide show
Foundation of Shama Foundation:
Shama Foundation is situated on the outskirt of Delhi.
Address : Ranholla vihar, Behind G.R.M School
contact: 9891445414, 011-27315948
Address : Ranholla vihar, Behind G.R.M School
contact: 9891445414, 011-27315948
The map describes the location.
Dr Sunit Sanjay Ekka is a physiotherapist in practice for the last 15 years. He has done his BPT from one of the premium Central Government physiotherapy colleges, ie, SVNIRTAR. The patient is his best teacher and whatever he gets to learn he loves to share it on his Youtube channel and blog.
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