INTEGRATED EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Is your child:
Intelligent … not completing school work
Making silly mistakes … confusing letters “ b”, “d”, “p”, “9” etc
On the run … or very dull and lethargic
Losing things in school
Bright, intelligent, knows the answers!
Slow in Reading, Writing or Math!
He may have Learning Challenges
The Integrated Education Department, which comprises of Occupational Therapy and Special Needs Section assesses and gives suitable intervention methods for your child to manage his / her School years with ease.
In the Occupational therapy section, people across the life span are helped to participate in the activities they want and need to do. Occupational Therapy is a skilled treatment aimed at helping clients achieve independence in all aspects of life.
In the Special Needs section, Assessment and Remedial Intervention / Education for children with Learning Disabilities is undertaken, Guidance is also given to parents of children with Special Needs to set realistic goals for the education and management of their child.
ASSESSMENT
Occupational therapy (OT):
Clients are assessed for their Neurological and developmental status, Independence in ADL, Group skills as also Sensory Processing and Functional skills (including Handwriting.) Parent Interviews, Observations, Sensory Profile, BOT2, MVPT and many other informal evaluations along with Pediatric and Psychiatric consultation are also included if needed to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis.
Special Needs:
Psychoeducational assessment is undertaken for diagnoses of Learning Challenges and determination of risk for Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia.
- The areas of impaired functioning are assessed
- An Individual Educational Plan is drawn for Remedial Intervention and parents are counselled on what they can do help their ward.
- Recommendations to the schools are included are also made.
INTERVENTION
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Depending on the nature of the difficulty the child is facing, OT works on :
- Tone, activity level and developmental milestones
- Balance and spatial awareness
- Improving fine motor skills, handwriting and perception
- Social skills and behavior management
How does Occupational Therapy (OT) Work?
Treatment modalities an Occupational therapist uses are :
1. Sensory Integration (SI) therapy: We take in information through our senses. If these are not working in sync or receiving information correctly, the intelligent brain processes it wrong. Sensory Integration treatment enhances the correct processing of information so that the child is able to respond optimally to stimuli.
2. Neuro - Developmental therapy: works on tone, muscle strength, balance, gait, gross motor and fine motor functions.
3. Perceptual Enrichment programme: focuses on activities of visual and auditory processing required for reading, writing, following instructions etc.
4. Group sessions to work on behaviour and interactional skills
OT can be done individually and in small groups depending on the requirement of the child.
Therapy is also available for adults with issues like inattention, impulsivity, anxiety, reaction time issues, in different diagnoses.
Remedial Education:
The Remedial Education Program is designed to close the gap between what the student knows and is expected to know. Impaired skills for learning are developed here with the objective of making the student an independent learner. The focus is of Skills development and not teaching Curricula.
Intervention is different for different age groups for both the OT and Remedial Section:
Pre-school
The Occupational therapist focuses primarily on sensory motor and play development at this age. Interactional skills, play skills , expression of thoughts to primary care giver and to others through speech is the main area to intervene. Also , toilet training and sensory issues affecting Activities of Daily living like eating , dressing are addressed.
The therapist also works on developing pre writing skills through different handwriting programs specifically designed to enhance grasp and grip strength and pattern formation.
In the Remedial Section focus is on Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Perceptual development through paper-pencil tasks towards preparedness for the 3Rs i.e. Reading Writing and Arithmetic.
School Years
The Occupational therapist does a detailed perceptual evaluation and works through activities to improve the perceptual skills and praxis.
Physical activities designed to improve sitting tolerance, attention span, writing skills and performance are done.
Group OT sessions may be required for those students who face problems in interactional skills. The therapists also work on improving reaction time , speed of activity and impulse control.
In the Remedial section after an Informal Evaluation or a Psycho Educational Assessment, an Individual Educational Plan is prepared and intervention is provided in the 3Rs: Reading Writing and Arithmetic as well as Perceptual skills for Learning. Study Skills Programs are also undertaken for Secondary School children in order to retain vast study materials using Mind Maps and Graphic Organisers.
After School Years – Adults
Many students at this age group have issues with their physical image. Unaddressed sensory issues and psychological issues may result in such poor self image. The therapist works to enhance physical fitness and swiftness to improve the self image in OT .
Group sessions are very helpful to enhance social skills.
The Occupational therapist works closely with counsellors and psychiatrists in managing the life skills for clients with Anxiety disorders, Depression, Schizophrenia and adult ASD.
Traditional Occupational therapy strategies help in enhancing attention, concentration, impulse control and reaction time.
In the Remedial Section Study Skills Programs are undertaken for Adults and they are counselled on Management strategies in using Mind Maps and Graphic Organisers to manage time, prioritize their work and work in an organised way.
OUTREACH
Sensory Integration Program (SIP): This service primarily focusses on Pre-primary and Primary sections in mainstream Schools.Children in pre primary schools are evaluated for their neurological skills to look for early signs of learning difficulties. A Resource room is set up in the school where sensory motor activities are undertaken to develop the skills for learning with children identified as ‘at risk’.
Resource Rooms: Mainstream schools are guided to to develop Resource Rooms to support children with Learning Disability in the school.
TRAINING
Parents: Periodic on-going Parent Learning Programs are conducted to help Parents understand their children with Special Needs and accompany them towards becoming independent.
Workshops on topics like diet and Children, how to choose right play for your child etc are also conducted.
Children: Periodical workshops for children on topics such as fun with senses, handwriting improvement, Study Skills and Mind Mapping are also conducted.
Professionals: Workshops for teachers from awareness programs to Trainings in Skills development in OT and Remedial Education are conducted at the Centre and Schools on invitation. We also have Teacher Trainings in Remedial Education, Integrated Education and Counselling.
