JHARKHAND: When Devika Bhaduri realised there was no medical facility to help her three-year-old daughter stricken with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she thought of doing something which could help others as desperate as her. She set up her own ‘Autreat Wellness Centre,’ which has occupational and speech therapy aids for the children suffering from the disease.
ASD is a complex developmental condition that involves persistent challenges in social interaction, speech and nonverbal communication, and restricted/repetitive behaviours. The centre has more than 35 children and several others have graduated out for greater medication and care after delicate stages.
“When our daughter was diagnosed with ASD in 2008, I had to face a lot of problems as limited facilities were available in Ranchi for such children. We had to travel to Kolkata, Vellore and Bangalore regularly for therapy and treatment. Then, my husband SK Bhaduri and I decided that why not set up a wellness centre making every facility available under one roof so that their parents don’t have to face the problems that we had,” said Devika.
It required a lot of money. “No bank or institute was ready to finance our project and we had to manage on our own. Gradually, parents started knowing about this centre and brought their children to us, giving us an opportunity to grow further,” said Bhaduri. Now, Autreat Wellness Centre has the most modern equipment for giving occupational and speech therapy to such children, she said. The staff at the centre, registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India, is fully trained, she informed.
Devika’s husband, Saumya Kanti Bhaduri is proud of the centre’s achievements. “Initially, we planned to buy equipment for our daughter’s use, later we thought others too should benefit from the equipment. We are now planning to have a day care school for such children so that they have company, which helps in the cure,” says Saumya. “Whatever is collected from the parents as a fee is used for the development of the centre.
“We have some unique equipment, such as an imported bubble tube, which enables children to recover quickly. Plus, my wife has also enrolled in Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in special education,” says Saumya.
Parents are happy to get all facilities under one roof. “I have been visiting the centre for the last four years since it was started. This is the only institute where all facilities are available. The centre is regularly upgrading by bringing in new and modern equipment,” said Shalini, parent of a child suffering from the rare disease. The centre has saved a lot of time for others like her. They don’t have to travel to big cities for treatment.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition that involves persistent challenges in social interaction, speech and nonverbal communication, and restricted/repetitive behaviours. The severity of symptoms are different in each person
Modern equipment at wellness centre
Autreat Wellness Centre has more than 35 children and several others have graduated out for greater medication and care after delicate stages. The centre has the most modern equipment for giving occupational and speech therapy to such children