Mentally challenged and Summer Camp-Day one

Yoga time

Checking blood pressure of each student

Students waiting for their turn

Taking height of each student

Since we have shifted to Sandnya Srushti, we have been under taking summer camp for our mentally challenged students. It is more than six years now that we have been doing this. My self and Dr. R.M. Uttarwar, both of us stay here for the whole period of eight days. This camp is meant for male students only. There is mail staff who stays with us to carry out the camp plan. The objective of this camp is to train the children in certain activities, specially in activities for daily living. Many times it so happens that parents are not in a position to understand how to get a particular act done from their mentally challenged child. For example, a boy may not co operate with his parents for going to toilet in the morning or he might not have toilet training or he might not be in a position to put on the buttons of the shirt he is supposed to wear or he can not eat with his own hand or he can not take bath by him self. Or he might be having some behavioral problems. We, during this residential camp try to address these problem areas. This is one part of it. Another aspect is to give the child an opportunity to learn things by him self. He gets a chance to live with his peer group and through this he gets an opportunity to learn and to get socialized with others also.

We have selected 10 students for this summer camp. The youngest being Shubhankar Bidkar. He is only 10 years old and has not left his mother ever since. The first day is always difficult for the boys and the staff as well. Most of them have not leaved with out their parents. They are not used to slipping alone. The routine will start from tomorrow. Dr.Pande, our therapist, took height, weight and blood pressure of each mentally challenged student. And all these parameters will be rechecked again on the last day of the camp. Our staff has to monitor very closely for their daily habits and routines, many of them are on certain medicines, schedule for the doses must be followed very meticulously. Today being the first day of the camp, we are receiving phone calls from parents asking about the welfare of their wards. They are obviously anxious and are not sure that their ward can stay away from them. Specially mothers are more apprehensive and doubtful. We know on first night some of them may not sleep quietly and might have disturbed sleep. They may wake up during mid night and ask for their mother. There is the real test of our staff during these moments. They have to keep lot of patience and many times scarifies their own night sleep also.

By: Navin Deshpande, Secretary, SSS

website: www.sandnya.org