Author: Patricia Lopes | Aug 05, 2016
Das was brought to Sethu when he was 2 years old. His parents were worried that he wasn’t speaking. He did not respond when they called out his name and although he liked playing with cars, he would throw them on the floor repeatedly. After an assessment by Sethu’s developmental pediatrician, Das was diagnosed with Autism.
It took his parents a year to fully accept his diagnosis and only after that, they begun coming for intervention services. During the first session, Das’behavior was difficult to manage. He mostly lay on the floor, tearing any paper he could get his hands on. He liked shaking the coin box fiercely, watching and listening as all the coins fell on the ground. After he was made to pick up all the coins and put them back in the box, I took out a musical egg shaker from my bag and gave it to him to shake. He enjoyed it so much! He didn’t feel the need to shake the coin box any longer.
His parents were advised to make simple musical shakers by putting rice or beans in tins and give it to Das so that he could enjoy the rigorous movement and the sound in a socially appropriate manner. His parents were also advised to give Das old, used paper to tear and then to use the torn paper to do an art and craft activity. His parents devotedly brought him week after week for intervention. In time, Das improved tremendously. He now sits on the chair and does a lot of table top activities while giving good eye contact and enjoying all the activities presented. He has learnt to play with a number of toys appropriately. Das waits with hands stretched out on the table for me to grasp and tickle the tip of his fingers right up to his arms. At the end of the session, Das does not want to go home.