Care Wayanad offers online help for children with disabilities & parents

An online parent support cell service for children with disabilities has been launched in Kerala’s Wayanad district. Called Care Wayanad, the helpline offers a range of services for people with disabilities in this region.

A group pf parents of children with disabilities have come together to start an online support cell service reaching for children with disabilities and their families. The service is available in Kerala’s Wayanad region and is led by Care Wayanad, a parent support group and Nahla Foundation.

The service in being offered in coordination with various rehabilitation professionals. This is to make sure that children with disabilities do not miss out on the therapies and support they need during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Higher stress among disabled kids post lockdown

The pandemic and subsequent lockdown has created widespread concern, fear and apprehension. People have been staying home for a month now, which is adding to their stress. The situation is far worse for children with disabilities like developmental delays, ADHD, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc. – Mohammed Hazarath, Nahla Foundation

The online support service has come as a huge relief for parents. Schools for children with disabilities, rehabilitation facilities, therapy centres and other support services have been shut down a cautionary measure since the lockdown came into effect,

Support offered online & over phone

The online support cell is made up of a clinical psychologist, rehabilitation psychologist behaviour and developmental therapist, speech therapist, special educators, an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist.

“Parents can call and communicate directly with various therapists, doctors, special educators and psychologists throughout the district over phone”, adds Hazarath.

Care Wayanad is also offering parental training sessions online and on the phone. The sessions are helping many parents to get personalised feedback from therapists regarding their kids as well as a guidance on how to set a routine at home.

The cell also offers solutions to other behavioural issues that children with physical or learning disabilities are experiencing during lockdown.

“The feedback regarding the online sessions states that 80% of the parents have noticed an improvement in the overall behaviour of their children as all the family members were spending quality time with them”, says K Abdusamad, Co-ordinator, Care Wayanad. “This has also helped in improving the level of interaction in the kids”.

There is additional support being offered like physiotherapy and batteries for hearing aids for deaf and hard of hearing children. Videos as well as awareness guidelines on training instructions for children at home are also being offered by the cell.

To know more, call +91-98479-15854 and +91918893-076182