Pasighat, Apr 17: H-Spring Foundation (HSF), a Pasighat-based NGO working for children with special needs (CWSN), in collaboration with Bakin Pertin General Hospital (BPGH), organised a one-day autism awareness programme here on Thursday.
Held at the conference hall of BPGH, the event aimed to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), promote early intervention and to foster societal understanding of ASD.
Dr G Dai, senior paediatrician at BPGH and resource person, spoke on the early signs and symptoms of ASD and shared a success story to highlight the impact of timely intervention. BPGH medical superintendent of Dr Y R Darang emphasised the importance of spreading awareness and ensuring holistic development for children with ASD.
Joint Director Dr T Tali elaborated on neurodevelopmental disorders, their symptoms, and the need for societal integration of persons with autism while Dr Mithesh, a speech and language pathologist from SCDC, highlighted common speech issues in children with ASD and the critical role of early speech therapy in developmental progress.
Neuro-physiotherapist Dr Kapong Modi from SCDC detailed the importance of physiotherapy in enhancing fine and gross motor skills, and the management of reflexes in autistic children.
HSF chairperson Dr Oimang Megu delivered a presentation on promoting inclusivity for neurodivergent children, stressing the need for sensory-friendly classrooms, movement breaks, and diverse learning setups to support various learner types.
The programme saw enthusiastic participation from doctors, therapists, special educators, social work students from Arunachal Pradesh University, and parents of children with ASD. Participation certificates were distributed at the conclusion of the event.
