Diagnostic and Research Center
It is internationally accepted that a multi disciplinary team approach is the best to achieve the optimum in the life of a person with disability, more so in the case of persons with Neuromuscular Disorders. At the DRC this objective is being achieved with the availability of a committed medical and paramedical team. The whole team works towards the common goal of maximizing the potential of the person with special needs.
The Multi Disciplinary Team at the Diagnostic And Research Centre, consists of the Medico Social Worker, Pediatric Neurologist, Ophthalmologist, Orthopedist, ENT Specialist, Epileptologist, Psychiatrist, Dentist, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Special Educator, Psychologist & Speech Therapist
Following an exhaustive History Taking, by the Social Work Department, the child is referred to the appropriate specialties for assessments and interventions.
Diagnostics and Research Center has Medical and Paramedical Services. Please refer the sub-sections for more information on each section.
Medical Diagnostic Services
Pediatric Neurology
Since all children seen at this centre, present with developmental and neurological concerns, this clinic provides the prime diagnostic function of the centre. All children seen here are appropriately referred to other paramedical units for appropriate assessments, interventions and rehabilitation. Dr. M S Mahadeviah, Hon. Medical Director, Paediatric Developmental Neurologist, provides diagnostic services here twice a week.
Orthopaedic Clinic
Children with cerebral palsy develop secondary complications like contractures and deformities as they grow due to the abnormal tone and other biomechanical factors related to posture and movement. Hence they may need orthopedic interventions for aiding them in mobility, seating and better positioning and for better management. Dr. Gautam Kodikal, consultant, orthopedic surgeon visits once a week to evaluate, suggest further treatment plan and surgical interventions to parents and professionals. The various orthopedic interventions carried out are muscle releases, TA slides, botox injections, alcohol blocks, corrective surgeries, etc. The process of orthopedic /surgical interventions involves a case conference with the team members and care givers involved with the child. Preoperative and postoperative therapy is crucial for these children and the child under goes these till the goal set is achieved. The clinic also looks into pain management cases and appropriate intervention is recommended.
Dental Clinic
Since the disability also affects oromotor activities, functions like chewing, swallowing, gargling etc. are affected and children develop dental concerns, like caries, etc. To address this need the Dental Clinic was set up by the Rotary Club. This clinic provides basic dental care services like, Screenings, Fillings, X Rays, Scaling and Extractions. This clinic now has extended services to the underprivileged children in the neighborhood schools, and provides oral hygiene demonstrations.
ENT Clinic
This clinic addresses the ENT concerns of children with Special needs. Functioning once a week, the clinic offers screening, ear cleaning, guidance and prescription for management of all ENT concerns.
Ophthalmology Clinic
This clinic addresses all visual concerns of children with special needs.
Epilepsy Clinic
This clinic provides consultation, medication management and EEG for children presenting with Convulsions.
Psychiatry Clinic
The recently introduced Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit addresses psychiatric and emotional concerns of the child, siblings and the parents. This clinic also caters to persons referred from other institutions, etc. services provided include psychiatric consultation, medication, management and individual therapy.
Paramedical Services
The crux of the rehabilitation process rests on the paramedical services. Spastics Society of Karnataka offers all relevant paramedical support for a rehabilitation of children with neurological and developmental disabilities.
Paramedical Services are available to both children of spastics society and also children referred to Spastics Society.Paramedical Services constitutes of Home Management Unit, Child Study Center, Therapy Unit , Speech Language and Hearing Unit.
The range of paramedical services provided at SSK include, assessments and early intervention with home based programs for children below seven years of age, assessments and intervention for children between 4 yrs and 16 yrs for emotional or academic concerns/r learning difficulties, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.
Therapy services
A team of physiotherapists and occupational therapists provides developmental therapeutic services to persons 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.
Home visit
Therapists visits home along with the other team members to assess the child’s physical and functional abilities at home and the necessity for adaptations to encourage independence and management at home is assessed.
Hand function assessment
Done for children between two years to adulthood for identifying ability of the child to use his/her hands for play, in school (writing and colouring activities, using computers,etc.) , for pre-vocational and vocational activities related to future job training programmes.
Seating assessment
Assessment of adequate seating like customized chairs, wheelchairs or adapted potty seats are done for all children with developmental disabilities.
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 person with disability in the office.
Follow up Programmes
Infant stimulation programme
In this intensive therapy programme , parents are given guidance on stimulating and handling babies with developmental delays by qualified and experienced physiotherapists and occupational therapists. The therapeutic techniques are demonstrated individually to each parent and a weekly follow up service is provided. For parents who have difficulty in carrying out the programme at home, there are therapy sessions provided on a more frequent basis depending on the need which would be assessed by the concerned therapist.
Days: Monday, Wednesday and 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 programme is also available at Vani Vilas hospital on Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays between 9.30 and 3.30 and at Indira Gandhi hospital on Thursdays between 2:00 PM and 4:30 PM
Follow up therapy programme for children from 3 years and above:
Individual therapy programme
Physiotherapist /occupational therapists provide therapy sessions with an aim to enable independent mobility, adapted seating, prevention of contractures and deformities, post operative therapy independence in self care, parent training in handling and using therapy techniques at home.
Group therapy
Sensory perceptual activities are selected and child is provided an opportunity to move confidently through the chosen play activity once a week.
Group therapy
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.
Centre-based programme
Therapy assistants under the guidance of physiotherapists and occupational therapists provide three days 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.
- Days: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
- Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Home based therapy service
Provided for the severely disabled children once a week. Occupational therapists and physiotherapists along with therapy assistants visit home to provide therapy inputs to family in handling techniques and management of the child with physical disabilities at home and aid in adapting homes for easily managing the child is provided according to the need.
- DAYS: Monday, Wednesday
Child Study Centre
This Center Caters to children in the age group of 4 years to 16 years and provides assessment, counseling and guidance for children presenting with difficulties in learning, emotional difficulties, cognitive limitations and other associated childhood conditions.
The unit consists of
- Psychology Unit
- Education Unit
Mission of the Unit
- To understand every child referred in terms of socio-emotional, learning and communication skills.
- To enhance every referred child’s potential to make him self reliant and confident in order to enhance his/her integration into society.
Speech, Language and Hearing
The Speech, Language and Hearing unit of the Spastics Society of Karnataka provides diagnosis and intervention for children presenting with various speech, language and hearing concerns associated with neurological and developmental conditions.
Early Special Education (Home Management)
Home Management Unit
This unit strives to help the child up to 7 years of age with Special Needs 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 delays and disabilities, 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.
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
- Educational Assessment
Follow-up Programs
- Special Education Programs 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 between one year to 14 years, for Outstation Families. Schedule of intervention is once in 1/2/3 month depending on the parents convenience and the child's needs.
- Guidance for appropriate school placement of the child.
- Parent Training, Parent Counseling, Parent Workshops and Centre-Based Intervention.
Family Support Services
This is a service provided at the Spastics Society of Karnataka by the Medico Social Work Department. The department has been a networking unit, bringing together the family as a part of the whole institution and nurturing and empowering parents.
Mission of the Unit
To enhance the process of rehabilitation by optimally involving the family and social system to which the child belongs. To enhance complete social integration of every child referred.
Services Provided Are
Intakes
A complete evaluative case history of each child referred, and guidance on future course of action to be taken based on the case history is done by the Medico Social worker.
Counseling
- For Children and Adolescents with emotional concerns and requiring guidance on course of action to be taken.
- For families of the children referred.
- For Siblings of the Children with Special needs.
Referrals
Referral to the appropriate services within the Spastics Society, based on the needs as assessed by the Medico Social Worker. Referral to other institutions based on a comprehensive understanding of the needs.
Placements
Placement of Children with Special Needs in Open work units and sheltered work units.
Other Services
Home visits, group meetings of mothers, siblings, fathers and families are regularly conducted to enhance intervention and to validate comprehensive care for the child.