The AIC will function six days a week, from 9 am to 5 pm. In the beginning, the expected number of children to be enrolled for therapy at the centre is 40-50.
In a first for a public hospital in the city,a centre for autistic children known as Autism Intervention Centre (AIC) has been thrown open at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital (Sion Hospital)'s Urban Health Centre, popularly known as the Chhota Sion, in Dharavi. Autistic children will not just get diagnosed at the centre inaugurated on Tuesday, but will also benefit from different type of therapies under one roof.
The AIC will function six days a week, from 9 am to 5 pm. In the beginning, the expected number of children to be enrolled for therapy at the centre is 40-50. These children will receive need-based therapies delivered by speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, special educators and various experts. The centre will also contribute by creating awareness about autism via workshops for school teachers, parents and community leaders with the aim to create acceptance and integration of this condition in the society.
Autism is common in India, affecting all strata of society, with a high prevalence of about 1 in every 250 children being afflicted. In Mumbai, there are very few facilities providing multi-modal treatment for these children under one roof, especially in public hospitals, catering to lower socio-economic strata. Hence, there is a need to make available, intervention services for benefit of these children. Having identified this need, the departments of pediatrics, occupational therapy and psychiatry of L.T.M.M.C and G.H (Sion Hospital) came together to start the AIC on their premises.The project of AIC is being funded by Hi Media Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. of Dr. Vishal Warke, who is also an alumnus of Sion Hospital.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting the development of brain in children. The main areas of difficulties are in social interaction and communication skills, along with restricted or repetitive stereotypical behavior. Children with autism can improve significantly with intensive training and therapy, thus preventing social isolation, difficulties in academics and dropouts from mainstream schools.
The AIC has been conceptualized by Dr. Mona Gajre, Professor of Pediatrics and Incharge of the Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Centre and Dr. Mamta Manglani, Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatrics from Sion Hospital.
Dr Mona Gajre, Incharge of the Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Centre, said, “Till now the autistic children were getting diagnosed here. The treatment was available here in Sion, but in different departments and not under one roof. AIC will provide all the existing therapies, and some other therapies which were not available like speech therapy, counselling and group and social skills, under one roof. The centre is funded by Warke's Hi Media laboratories through CSR activities.”
Dr. Mamta Manglani, Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatrics, said, “Every child deserves optimal care. Someone's child being deprived the best car because they are poor and cannot go to an expensive centre is something that is not acceptable to me as a pedeatricians and a head of the department. So in public sector hospitals, quality care is what has been my motto and passion. When autistic children go out for sessions, each session is charged, but we are not going to charge anything at the new centre. All the below-poverty patients are going to get free service. I am sure plenty of children will benefit.”
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