Category: Other Childhood Problems

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) consists of a group of disorders with an onset typically occurring during the preschool years and characterized by varying but often marked difficulties in communication and social interaction. ASD, also known as pervasive developmental disorders, exhibit a varying range in terms of severity. The condition is characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. Children might be showing signs of this syndrome if they lack meaningful eye contact, are unable to produce age-appropriate speech, engage in stereotyped repetitive patterns of behavior or interests and/or rigid, repetitive and monotonous play. Autism spectrum disorders can often be detected in children as young as 1 to 3 years of age. Early symptoms may include a marked delay in language or social development. Children with Autism may also have below average IQ. Children with these disorders may also show atypical responses to sensory experiences.

Worried that your child might have

1. Does your child avoid making eye contact?
2. Does your child fail to respond to his/her name, or to the sound of a familiar voice?
3. Does your child fail to follow objects visually or follow your gesture when you point things out?
4. Does your child have difficulty in playing with other people or sharing interest and enjoyment?
5. Does your child appear disinterested or unaware of other people or what’s going on around them?
6. Does your child prefer not to be touched, held, or cuddled?
7. Does your child react unusually to sights, smells, textures, and sounds?
8. Does your child insist on following a rigid routine and has difficulty adapting to any changes in schedule or environment?
9. Does your child repeat the same actions or movements over and over again, such as flapping hands, rocking, or twirling?
10. Does your child have unusual attachments to toys or strange objects such as keys, light switches, or rubber bands?

If you have said yes to most of the above, we might be able to help you.

Treatments, we provide that can help your child and you:

Psychoeducation

Psychometric assessment

Behaviour therapy

Speech Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Social skills training

Special education

Stammering – also known as stuttering or childhood-onset fluency disorder- is a speech disorder that involves frequent and significant problems with normal fluency and flow of speech. People who stutter know what they want to say, but have difficulty in saying it. Stuttering is common among young children as a normal part of learning to speak. Young children may stutter when their speech and language abilities aren’t developed enough to keep up with what they want to say. Most children outgrow this developmental stuttering.
Sometimes, however, shuttering is a chronic condition that persists into adulthood. This type of stuttering can have an impact on self-esteem and interactions with other people.
Stuttering may be worse when the person is excited, tired or under stress, or when feeling self- conscious, hurried or pressured. Situations such as speaking in front of a group or talking on the phone can be particularly difficult for people who stutter.

When to see a doctor or speech- language pathologists

Its common for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years to go through periods when they may stutter. For most children, this is part of learning to speak, and it gets better on its own. However, stuttering that persists may require treatment to improve speech fluency.

Call your doctor for a referral or contact a speech-language pathologist directly for an appointment if stuttering:

1. Lasts more than six months
2. Occurs with other speech or language problems
3. Becomes more frequent or continues as the child grows older
4. Occurs with muscle tightening or visibly struggling to speak
5. Affects the ability to effectively communicate at school, at work or in social interactions
6. Causes anxiety or emotional problems, such as fear or avoidance of situations where speaking is required
7. Begins as an adult

How can you help your child if he/she stutters:

1. Providing a relaxed home environment that allows many opportunities for your child to speak. This includes making time to talk to each another, especially when your child is excited and has a lot to say
2. Not reacting negatively when the child stammers. Give any corrections in a gentle way and give praise when your child speaks without a stammer
3. Speaking in a slightly slow and relaxed way
4. Listening carefully when your child speaks and waiting for them to say the intended word. Don’t try to complete the sentences for them
5. Helping your child to be confident that they can communicate successfully even when they stammer
6. Providing consistent feedback to your child about their speech in a friendly, non-judgmental and supportive way
7. Talking openly about stammering if your child wants to talk about it

Treatments

Speech and Language Therapy

Fluency Shaping Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Parent-child interaction

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. Children who are obese are above the normal weight for their age and height. Overweight and obesity in childhood are known to have significant impact on both physical and psychological health. Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more likely to develop non‑communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. Many obese children become obese adults, especially if one or both parents are obese. Childhood obesity can profoundly affect children’s physical health, social, and emotional well‑being, and self-esteem. It is also associated with poor academic performance and a lower quality of life experienced by the child. There are many reasons why a child may be obese, including medical or genetic ones. In most cases, though, children are overweight because they eat unhealthful foods and lead a sedentary lifestyle Many co‑morbid conditions like metabolic, cardiovascular, orthopaedic, neurological, hepatic, pulmonary, and renal disorders are also seen in association with childhood obesity.

Treatments, we provide that can help your child and you:

Diet Counselling

Parental Counselling

Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy