COVID-19: Therapy Calls Keep Parents of Differently-abled at Ease

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
In a huge relief to parents of children with special needs, the Psycho Social Support Team constituted by the Kerala government has made more than 30,850 tele-counselling calls, easing their stress during this unprecedented lockdown period triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Kiran. P.S, State Nodal Officer, Mental Health Programme, said this service is aimed at extending all support to the parents to manage the unfamiliar situation. The Psycho Social Support Team was constituted by the government on February 4 under Mental Health Programme of Health Service Department with support from Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) of Women and Child Development, and Social Justice Department (SJD).

“Our team members collect the contact numbers of parents from special schools, BUDS schools, District Early Intervention Centres (DEIC) and Mobile Intervention Units (MIU) in all districts and offer them therapy service,” Dr Kiran said.

The Psycho Social Support Team consists of psychiatrists, psychiatric social workers, clinical psychologists, social workers, counsellors/therapists of ICDS, SJD, Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC), National Health Mission (NHM), DEIC and MIU. “They have been working daily without taking off,” he pointed out.

Till date, a total of 1,064 personnel are working in the state to provide psycho-social support to parents.

“So far, around 2,06,232 people, who are in quarantine/isolation, have been given tele-counselling services under the programme. People under treatment for mental health problems, differently-abled children, guest workers and elderly people, who are living alone, are also being given psycho-social support calls,” Dr Kiran said.

He noted that it is also extended to reduce the mental stress of the health workers engaged in combating the spread of COVID-19 disease.

“Across the state, the Psycho Social Support Team has made 4,23,893 tele-counselling calls in all sections. The team is also coordinating the community-based de-addiction during this lockdown period,” Dr Kiran added.

Bindu, who runs a special school at Pappanamcode here, said differently-abled children have to be looked after by considering their interest each day.

“Parents have taken their children from school to homes since the lockdown was announced. Being the mother of a special child, I feel that we have to find out the children’s interests and divert them to the skill or hobby they are inclined to make them comfortable during this difficult period,” she said.

Training programmes relating to occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, special education and psychology should be continued at home regularly, Bindu said.