Author: Laxmi Pillai | Oct 05, 2017
Around 3 years ago, I joined Sethu as an Administrator, eager to contribute my bit to children and society. I chose Sethu as I was convinced about its holistic approach of engagement with the child, family, school and community. Over the years, I have seen Sethu grow and I have grown along with it. My role is to ensure that the Centre runs smoothly and every child who comes to us is assured of an excellent service. My daily work also includes clinical data entry, which enabled me to closely understand different aspect of problems that are faced by the children and families who come to us. It was a huge learning experience for me as I got familiar with various concepts in child development and acronyms like SLD and ADHD which were completely new to me at the start.
Sethu Centre shifted from Panjim to Sucorro, Porvorim in December 2014. At first we were anxious about the move and wondered whether our high rates of referral and follow-up rates would drop since we were no longer centrally placed, in the city. However, our fears were unfounded. An analysis of our clinical data shows that from January 2015 to September 2017 we have seen 1827 children. The most common diagnosis is Specific Learning Disability (SLD- 380 children), followed by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD- 300 children) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD – 140 children).
Most of the children present with development delays and after receiving regular therapy, it is a pleasure to see the phenomenal transformation in them over a period of time. This is most marked in those who receive early and consistent intervention, which is also followed by the family at home. For me more than grappling with all this data, it is heartening to witness the growth of human potential in the children and their families, from anxiety and fear to confidence and progress. When I see children who scream and run around uncontrollably on their first visit, learn to sit in place and wave bye as they leave the centre, my heart fills with hope and joy. From them and their families, I have learnt to have patience and keep a positive outlook in life.