We often refer to a person as a ‘complete man’. Have you ever wondered what we exactly meant by ‘complete’? We all seem to be complete; nobody has seen a half-man after all! But no, completeness encompasses many a parameters & dimensions.
A baby grows from a neonate to a toddler, and then through the stages of childhood and adolescence, gradually evolves into an adult. All the while he grows in length, breadth and weight; his sensory perception, cognitive ability & intelligence develop so that he gradually gains control over his own self, then over his surrounding environment. The better control he has over himself, the more poised his personality becomes. The extent and magnitude of his control over his environment determines his level of success. This constant evolution starts from the moment of conception of life. It occurs in different dimensions: physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. Evolution to the fullest in all these dimensions ultimately produces a complete personality.
We, the care-givers of small babies, visualize this evolution when we think of his growth & development. Any deficit, any deviation at any point will curb the blooming process. A thousand and one deficits may be silently residing in the baby’s system, which, if not identified in time, will manifest as a hindered development in later days. For example, a child who doesn’t learn to smile in time may not learn to interact and play like other children and he may develop mental retardation later on. Similarly, a baby who is late in holding his head may be late in all limb activities like sitting, standing, walking, etc. So all who care for babies and children must know the markers of normal development and must learn to pick up deviations EARLY.
How does this early detection help? Any inherent deficit in a developing child can be supported and the process of development in that area enhanced through early intervention. It’s like offering a hand to a person unable to climb a high step. He can make it with your help and the next time he has the confidence to try it himself.
What exactly is early intervention? It is a comprehensive process, by means of which stimulation is given to the child in areas where his development is faltering, thus guides him through the normal developmental channel. Through these techniques the affected brain parts are stimulated to become more active. But how can a dead cell in the brain become alive and active? It has been proved that though brain cells do not regenerate, synapses (connections between cells) are regenerable and with early stimulation healthy brain cells, through new synapses, take up the job of the damaged cells. Thus brain activity can be made to improve. This plasticity of the brain is made use of in early intervention techniques.
Who does this early intervention? As different aspects of brain function, like gross motor (sitting, walking etc), fine motor ( picking up things, handling etc), cognitive
(understanding, imagination etc), language, learning etc may need to be assessed and supported, this process calls for a very well co-ordinated team approach. The team comprises of a developmental Pediatrician, Ophthalmologist, Psychiatrist, Physiotherapist, occupational therapist, developmental psychologist, speech therapist, special educator and counselor. Whatever these specialists have to offer need to be conveyed regularly to the child, and, who else, but the mother, will happily render this effort 24 X 7? So she remains the pivot of the early Intervention program. It is thus obligatory for her to be well informed and convinced about the whole approach, to get the best benefits for her child. This is a long process and calls for a lot of perseverance and patience to reap the ultimate reward.
So, mothers (& fathers as well), get informed about your child’s normal development and danger signs to be identified. Next time we will talk about these issues.
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