The Prequel...

Below is a guest article I wrote in January 2011...

Autism in India: The Time Is Now!
By Ritika Vatsa, MA, CCC-SLP

It is often said that all great journeys begin with a dream. And I literally woke up at 4am one night and had this 'vision' of a dream.

I am a speech-language pathologist who works with children and adolescents who are on the autism spectrum and have developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. I love what I do and I think that this is the best job in the entire world.

One summer night, I was wide awake at 4am. The wheels in my head were turning and I had a vision of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) being used with children with autism in India. I had no idea where and how I would start, but I was so motivated to do ‘something’ that I looked up and called several centers in India within the next week.

Through my discussions with several professionals in India (mostly special educators, some speech therapists working with this population), I realized the large gap in services that exists for children with autism in India.  Since there is no standard procedure for identification, parents go through a lot of frustration to get an accurate diagnosis. Pediatricians often label children as being just ‘slow’. Psychiatrists label them as having ADHD and might prescribe unnecessary medication. Parents struggle to find the services they need to help their children succeed. Early intervention services, such as those available in the western world, are unheard of. Parents are desperate for answers, and seeking support everywhere. The government, in contrast, is far behind in providing support. Autism in India has only very recently been recognized as a disability under the Persons with Disabilities act. Regular schools have the right to refuse and turn away any child who cannot ‘keep-up’ with their curriculum. Special education schools often refuse children with autism since they are considered to be ‘behaviorally challenging’ compared to those diagnosed with mental retardation alone.

Being a speech-language pathologist (SLP), I was especially interested in what speech and language services were available for this population in India. I find that SLPs are far and few in India, and SLPs trained and experienced with working with autism even more difficult to find. Special educators have largely taken the role of an SLP and are applying their training to the best of their abilities. Still, I believe that SLPs bring with them special knowledge of language and how language interacts with cognition and behaviors. In addition, SLPs are specifically trained in Alternative and Augmentation Communication (AAC), which is widely used with large success with children at all levels on the Autism spectrum in developed countries. In several cases, lack of supports for receptive language and comprehension are the root causes of challenging behaviors in children with autism. Therefore, I strongly believe that taking the message of AAC to India and educating parents and professionals is very important.

To spread this message, I am hosting workshops for parents and professionals at 3 different centers in Delhi and one in Bangalore in February 2011. Historically, parents and professionals in India have been resistant to AAC for the fear that it will take away speech; or due to the fear of technology; or lack of the knowledge that AAC even exists. Hopefully by sharing techniques from my communication toolbox (including use of the Time Timers) and success stories, I can bring them onboard to trial some techniques with their children.

For more information, please visit www.thecommunicationtoolbox.com
Or contact Ritika at towardscommunication@gmail.com