‘24x7 care in formative years essential for kids with neuro disorders’

“Early intervention and 24x7 care in formative years is essential for children with neurodevelopmental disorders,” said Dr Rahul Bharat, a neurologist from London, at the 10th annual conference on Paediatric Neuropsychology.

At this conference organised jointly by Lucknow Academy of Paediatricians and Geniusline Child Developmental Centre, he addressed parents, psychologists, teachers and paediatricians.

This was the 10th Paediatric Neuropsychology Workshop, which was intended to focus on the unique needs of children with disorders like autism, dyslexia, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and other such conditions. The conference therefore had invited participants representing all relevant stakeholders involved in the formative years of growth of a neurodiverse child - which included parents, paediatricians, psychologists, and school teachers as well.

While parents found value in the sessions on how to provide 24x7 care for neurodiverse children, teachers attending were educated on how to create inclusive environments and teaching modules for such children in the classroom. Paediatricians and psychologists were provided insights on how to support parents in their endeavours, and innovative therapies and means to aid neurodivergent kids acclimatise to their world.

Dr Rashmi Kumar, a former head of the paediatric department at King George’s Medical University, said, “There are almost one crore children with some sort of neuro developmental conditions which cannot be managed effectively without the collaboration of school teachers, parents, psychologists and paediatricians.”