| The Madhuram Narayanan Centre
(MNC) for Exceptional Children conducted a five day camp (October
29th - November 2, 2001) at Chennai for 30 mentally retarded
children with multiple disabilities from Tirupullani in Ramnad
District. Tirupullani, an economically backward area, was chosen
by the Centre for a study of children with malnutrition and
disability for a project coordinated by Networking Information
on Parenting (NIP) of Bala Mandir Research Foundation (BMRF),
sponsored by UNICEF and implemented by MNC. |
| Of the nearly 100 children screened
for nutritional deficiencies in that area, 30 children with
multiple disabilities were selected for comprehensive early
intervention. |
| Madhuram Narayanan Centre brought
these children with their parents to Chennai and gave them early
intervention medical, therapeutic and developmental training.
Leading medical experts examined these children and gave them
advice on treatment. Special educators of the Centre assessed
the children and gave individualised programmes and trained
the parents on the spot so that they could train their children
at their homes. The Centre’s physiotherapists demonstrated and
taught the parents the therapy for their children. Calipers
and braces were provided to some children by “Mukthi”, a philanthropic
service organisation in Chennai. Representatives of MNC will
do the follow-up work at Tirupullani. |
| Sheela Balakrishnan, IAS, Secretary,
Social Welfare, Tamil Nadu, A Kalaivanan, IAS, State Commissioner
for Rehabilitation of the Disabled and Soundararajan, Director,
DPEP who visited the camp appreciated the initiative taken by
the Centre, and promised action to provide them needed services. |
| The Chennai Out Reach Camp for
the Tirupullani children is yet another innovative programme
of the Madhuram Narayanan Centre. |
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| A parent relates her experience. |
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| A specialist’s time for a special child. |
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| On the spot dental check-up; counselling the
parents on dental care. |
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| A nutrition specialist addressing parents. |
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| Comprehensive intervention – a specialist (homeopathy)
examines a child. |
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