Early Intervention Centre Launched at Command Hospital, Pune

Pune. Nearly 10 per cent of the 27 million children born in India every year suffer from some disability, defect or developmental delay that lead to serious handicaps in later life. Early detection of these problems and early intervention by a team of therapists are a unique opportunity to minimise disability and help the affected child achieve his maximum potential. In keeping with this idea, the government has launched Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) and has decided to set up Early Intervention Centres in each District.

Keeping pace with the latest medical interventions, the Armed Forces have established their first Early Intervention Centre (EIC) at the Command Hospital (Southern Command) Pune, a state-of-the-art facility inaugurated on August 8, by Mrs Anita Nain, Regional President AWWA, in the presence of Maj Gen M.S. Tevatia, Commandant of the hospital.

The Centre brings together a number of therapists – clinical psychologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech therapist, special educator, nutritionist and paediatricians – to work on the various aspects of a child’s disability and ensure the best possible outcome for him/her.

Speaking at the inauguration, Col Karthik Ram Mohan, Head of Dept of Pediatrics, said that each child born at this hospital and each child visiting the Pediatric and Pediatric Neurology OPD will be screened for any disabilities.

Those found with a disability or developmental delay will be immediately enrolled at the EIC and necessary therapeutic interventions will be initiated during the best window of opportunity between birth and six years of age to optimise the outcomes.

The Centre was a long felt need of the paediatricians who had seen less than optimal outcomes in children with disabilities due to lack of holistic care programmes like this.