Special treatment for special kids

Chennai: Thirteen-year-old Madhav grasps things better than anybody in his class and is one of the brightest kids. Probably none of his classmates would ever know that he is an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) patient, who was not able to sit in a classroom just a couple of years ago.

True to its name, V-excel has excelled in moulding the kids in all the ways and Madhav is an example of its efforts. Early intervention is one of the very effective programmes of the trust as it churns out numerous kids each year to add them into mainstream skills.

“Our solo motto when a kid joins the trust is to get him back to school. Early intervention course includes occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy and other intervention strategies,” said Vasudha Prakash, co-founder, V-Excel.
Another major attraction of the trust is the annual day program where all 65 children in the school practise for about four weeks. The dramas and plays are usually on some important milestones in history.

“As the kids enjoy it, they are completely immersed which helps them learn better. Once, when a kid with a hunch back was enacting the Trojan war, he suddenly straightened himself when he took the sword from the sheath and came to me teary eyed telling he knew how an upright man feels like,” said Geetha Bhalla, one of the teachers.

Other recreational programmes include drawing competitions and visits to historical places. The kids also go to the Theosophical Society frequently to pluck out the weeds and take a walk in the open air.

During weekends, V-Excel’s branch at Adyar is filled with aroma of delicious food as the “special” masters transform into chefs to put up a makeshift café for the Chennaiites at Adyar. Café Samarth was a dream of Vasudha, as she always aspired to start a chain of restaurants, especially run by special kids.

“The menu is decidedly Maharashtra based and the kids specialise in chick-peas and potato vadas, poha, Bombay sandwiches and other delicacies. Apart from cooking, they also serve the food, engage in conversations with customers and do billing,” said Vasudha.

She does not turn away any special kid who approaches the trust in time of need. “Not many people can afford the therapies, so we arrange for sponsors for some and many kids study free of cost. The spark in their eyes and ability to improve is all I need, irrespective of the background they come from,” she said.

Canine therapy

One of the innovative methods the trust uses to treat kids is Canine therapy. It uses dogs for healing and studies confirm that children respond well to dogs, develop trust and strong bond with the animal. “Humans seem very complicated to autistic kids as they show many emotions, hand movements and are very dynamic when they make a conversation. Canines are simpler to understand and the therapy resulted in reduced blood pressure, improved communication and social skills, elevated mood and increased self-esteem among autistic kids,” said Vasudha Prakash.