BENGALURU: Experts stressed the need to start early intervention for specially-abled children in Karnataka which has 13 District Early Intervention Centres (DEIC), started by the Ministry of Health under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) to improve survival outcomes for children through early identification and management of defects at birth, deficiencies, diseases and developmental delays including disabilities. Care, support and appropriate treatment are provided to children in need to meet these challenges.
Mobile health teams have been deployed under the initiative to screen children for any defects or diseases since birth till they are 18 years. Former chief commissioner for persons with disabilities in Karnataka, VS Basavaraj said that early intervention across districts would ensure that maximum cases are identified at an early stage and becomes much easier to handle such cases in the initial stages by providing them with the right therapy and training.
In 2020, although six more centres in Tumakuru, Chitradurga, Udupi, Chamarajanagar, Koppal and Yadgir were on the cards under the RBSK programme, they are yet to be implemented.
Basavaraj said that the doctors, working for the project, should also be trained properly since many children have not been identified due to lack of proper diagnosis. They lack the knowledge and skills to identify early signs in a child for any disability or disease in general.
Ruby Singh, vice-president, Autism Society of India (ASI), explained that early screening and intervention of People With Disability (PWD) help provide them with occupational therapy which helps them cope better in a social environment. Late diagnosis impact children emotionally and socially.