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| The Autism Centre - Coimbatore, India |
17 June 2005 |
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Our arrival at Heathrow on November the 8th
opened the final chapter of the journey that was to
culminate with the setting up of a new Sensory
Integration facility in the Manchester of Southern
India– Coimbatore.
I first met Dr Shripati Upadhyama in 2000 in Bradford
when delivering the Sensory Processing Course for
Individuals with Developmental Delay. Shri had
spoken to me about his dream to establish a specialist
centre for children with Autism in Coimbatore – his
wife Gheeta’s birthplace. Following a number of other
discussions and an excellent Indian meal a firm
friendship began with both Shri and Gheeta. At the end
of 2000, Shri asked me to help with plans for
incorporating facilities for Sensory Integrative Therapy
in an educational centre that would also support
parents. These were subsequently drawn up and
supplemented with photographs of the new Mary
Sheridan Centre in Lambeth. Periodic news came from
Bradford concerning Shri and Gheeta’s various ventures
that they had instigated to promote awareness,
understanding and intervention for people with
Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
All of the above notwithstanding, I was taken by
surprise when, in July 2003, I received a phone call
from Shri when he told me that his dream was about to
be realised – the Autism Centre was going to be
completed at the end of September – and he asked me
how soon could I get out to Coimbatore to support the
training and instigation of therapy facilities? What with
the Agenda for Change (and Guy’s Hospital being an
early implementer) I should have refused this request
but the opportunity for adventure was too alluring.
Subsequently in November my husband Adam and I
boarded a flight to Chennai (Madras) with much
excitement. Adam (a professional artist) was to paint
three murals for the new centre and I had agreed to run
a week long workshop – the aim of which was to
introduce Sensory Integration as a therapy approach for
individuals with pervasive developmental delay and
learning disabilities. In addition I was to meet with
parents of children with autism and to undertake
preliminary assessments of theses children to plan
treatment programmes.
Our first 72 hours in India was a whirlwind of
emotions and sensory overload! The intensity of the
new smells, colours and sounds, combined with the
driving habits and road conditions of Madras in
particular was overwhelming. Several screams and ‘shut
down’ moments occurred before we reached the relative
safety and sanity of Coimbatore.
The centre was designed to incorporate a library for
parents, classrooms, a sensory room and a Sensory
Integrative Therapy room. ROMPA had supported the
provision of Snoezlen equipment and I was grateful for
the support of Dr Muthu (the main mover and shaker)
and his electrical engineer and carpenter in getting the
equipment up and running. Unfortunately, the
Southpaw supplies were waylaid by Bombay Customs
due to the fact that mental handicap is not classified as
a disability in India, necessitating the payment of duty.
This issue was eventually resolved but only after we had
left.
The professional mix of the participants for the
workshop was broader than that I was used to teaching,
including Specialist Educators, a Psychiatrist, and a
Physiotherapist as well as Occupational Therapists and
one parent. Subsequently, pitching the lectures in such
a way to ensure everyone had a common starting point
yet was also sufficiently challenged intellectually was
somewhat problematic as well as extremely exhausting.
I felt this objective was achieved when on the Friday, the
small group analyses of case studies resulted in an
effective interpretation of the evidence and creative
problem solving using a Sensory Integrative Treatment
Approach. Later in the day, discussions of the case
studies brought by participants successfully
incorporated SIT within differing eclectic models of
practice. The feedback forms showed an overwhelming
positive response suggesting that participants had been
provided with a new ‘tool’ for analysis and intervention
for individuals presenting with a complex array of
difficulties.
Yet more challenging for me was meeting with fourteen
rather than the six families and children with Autism
originally timetabled. I did not have the heart to turn
any family away and time was subsequently sacrificed
instead from the training schedule for the four new staff
at the Centre. All but three of the children presented
with significant sensory processing difficulties in
conjunction with/or as part of their Autistic Spectrum
Disorder and learning disabilities. The three whose
sensory processing could not be conceived as
contributing in any way to their difficulties, all
responded well to the non-directive and sensory-motor
opportunities of the activity (treatment) room. The
venue worked well as a place to begin to support all of
the children in their learning, instigate communication
programmes and develop more appropriate social
behaviour.
Reflecting on the experience (and having survived
anaphylactic shock as a reaction to the malaria tablets)
I was struck by the children and their families’ stoicism
alongside a great energy to maximise their skills —
striving towards their dreams yet tempering these with
realism following the ‘Just Right Challenge’ motto.
And finally a thanks to the Shri, Gheeta and the Muthu
family who made this trip possible. And to all the
children and families, Shri’s dream is now a reality – the
Autism Centre, Teacher’s Colony, Coimbatore, India –
with all the future dreams and opportunities this holds.
DIDO GREEN
CLINICAL EXPERT IN PAEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY NEWCOMEN CENTRE, GUY’S HOSPITAL, LONDON
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