Intervention and Therapy

The preliminary screening is the first step to observe the child and determine if sensory, behavioural, and developmental skills are progressing as expected. The screening itself is not a diagnosis but determines if there is a need for further in-depth evaluation. Informal screening includes discussions with parents or caregivers and casual observation of the child engaged in their daily tasks.

The individual undergoes a formal assessment to diagnose developmental, sensory, or behavioural condition or disability requiring intervention. Qualified professional in MANNA conduct the assessment or referral services are provided on request. The process uses standardized developmental tests; curriculum based assessments and structured observational procedures to assess the child. Information from the assessment is used to decide the necessary interventions to support the development of the child within the context of the classroom as well as his family, culture, and environment.

Counseling is offered to help parents adjust to emotional problems of anxiety and stress and support them to accept their child. During the parent counseling session, the parent can share their concerns and priorities while the parent is helped to understand the needs of their special child and develop a plan of action. Parent counseling is a continuous process in MANNA helping the parent cope with the daily struggle of raising a special child.

If the formal evaluation determines that a child does have a developmental disability, an Individual Intervention Plan(IIP) is developed involving the families, teachers and other care givers, to address the needs of the child based on the Assessment report. The IIP is a written document which outlines the intervention services that your child would receive. The document helps the parent to understand how the services are structured around the needs of the child and ensures greater accountability and consistency in the implementation of the interventions. The IIP contains the child’s present physical, cognitive, communication, social/emotional and functional development levels and the specific interventions the child will be receiving. The IIP also contains the major results or outcomes expected to be achieved for the child in the form of annual goals- Goals will be related to the academic, social or behavioral needs of the child and will be specific and measurable.

Systematic progress monitoring which is a key element of a child’s IIP is diligently undertaken in the centre. The most common method used to monitor the child’s progress is Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA) which are short-duration assessments to monitor progress in reading, math, spelling, and writing. Academic performance is measured weekly and monthly. Instructional techniques are adjusted to meet individual learning needs based on these assessments.

If the interventions have not met the IIP goals, the IIP and the intervention methods along with other coexisting factors are reviewed and the goals and objectives for the child are reformulated. If the child has satisfactory progress and the predesigned or end-goals are met the child is enabled to attend a regular school. As per India’s “Right to Education Act” every school is required to provide inclusive education for children with disabilities and every special child is entitled to be educated in regular schools.

As a follow up process- a weekly visit for a month is organized to the school of the special child, to help the teacher understand and respond to the needs of the child and to evaluate the child’s progress and performance in school.